Methods for producing pattern-forming body

ABSTRACT

A method of producing a pattern-forming body with high accuracy with no need for a post-exposure treatment and without allowing any photocatalyst to remain in the resultant pattern-forming body and whereby any problematic effect of the photocatalyst in the pattern-forming body is eliminated. The method includes providing a photocatalyst-containing layer-sided substrate and a pattern-forming body substrate having a characteristic-changeable layer, which is changed by the effect of the photocatalyst in the photocatalyst-containing layer, and a light-shading part formed as a pattern in such a manner that the photocatalyst-containing layer and the characteristic-changeable layer are brought into contact with each other, followed by exposure on the side of the pattern-forming body substrate to change the characteristics of the characteristic-changeable layer of the exposed part, followed by removing the photocatalyst-containing layer-sided substrate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method for producing apattern-forming body comprising a pattern having differentcharacteristics on the surface that can be used in various applicationssuch as a color filter.

Various methods for producing pattern-forming bodies having variouspatterns such as graphics, images, texts and circuits on substrates havebeen proposed.

For example, when discussing a case of printing as an example, aplanographic plate employed in a planographic printing which is one ofthe printing methods is employed in such a manner that a plate having apattern comprising an ink-receiving lipophilic part and a printingink-repelling part is produced and used to form an image of the ink tobe printed on the lipophilic part and the image thus formed is thentransferred for example onto a paper whereby accomplishing the printing.In such a printing, a pattern such as a text or figure is formed on sucha master printing plate to produce a printing plate as a pattern-formingbody which is then fitted in the printing machine and used. Many typesof the master plates for an offset press which is a representativeplanographic process have been proposed.

An offset printing plate can be produced by a method in which a masterplate is exposed via a mask on which a pattern was depicted and thendeveloped or by a method in which an electrophotographic process isemployed to effect a direct exposure whereby making a plate directly onthe master plate. An electrophotographic offset master plate is producedby a method in which a photoconductive layer having a photoconductiveparticle such as zinc oxide and a binder resin as main components areformed on a conductive substrate to form a photosensitive body withwhich the exposure is effected by an electrophotographic process to forma highly lipophilic image on the surface of the photosensitive body,which is then treated with a fat-insensitizing solution to make anon-image part hydrophilic whereby obtaining an offset master plate,i.e., a pattern-forming body. The hydrophilic part is immersed forexample in water to be imparted with a lipophobicity, while a lipophilicimage part receives a printing ink which is then transferred for exampleto a paper. However, various post-exposure treatments for example withfat-insensitizing solutions are required for forming a pattern.

A method for producing a planographic master plate employing a heat moderecording material capable of forming a pattern comprising a highlyink-receiving part and an ink-repelling part by means of a laserirradiation has also been proposed. While the heat mode recordingmaterial is advantageous due to the ability of producing a printingplate only by forming an image simply by a laser beam without processesfor example of development, it poses problems associated with adjustmentof the laser intensity, disposal of the residues such as alaser-degenerated solid substance, printing resistance and the like.

Another known method for forming a highly minute pattern is a method forproducing a pattern-forming body by photolithography which forms anintended pattern directly by the exposure of a photoresist, involving aprocess for exposing a photoresist coated on a substrate with a patternfollowed by developing the photoresist followed for example by etchingor using a functional substance as a photoresist.

While a highly minute pattern formation by the photolithography isemployed for example in a method for forming a colored pattern of acolor filter employed in a liquid crystal display, forming a microlens,producing a minute electric circuit board, and producing a chrome maskemployed in exposing a pattern, such a method poses a problem forexample of the waste liquid disposal due to the requirement of thepost-exposure developing with a liquid developer or etching associatedwith the use of a photoresist, as well as a problematic degradation of afunctional substance, if employed as a photoresist, due to alkalinesolution employed for developing.

Although an attempt is made to form a highly minute pattern of a colorfilter and the like by printing, a pattern formed by the printing isproblematic with regard to the position accuracy and the like, resultingin a difficulty in forming a pattern at a high accuracy.

On the other hand, a method for producing a pattern-forming body inwhich a pattern is formed using a substance whose wettability is changedby the effect of a photocatalyst has been investigated by us for thepurpose of solving the problems described above. Nevertheless, theconventional method for producing a pattern-forming body using aphotocatalyst can not avoid the aspect that the resultantpattern-forming body itself contains the photocatalyst which may affectsome types of the pattern-forming body adversely.

When forming a pattern using a substance whose wettability is changed bythe effect of a catalyst as described above, the exposure should beconducted in a pattern usually employing a photomask. However, theexposure via a photomask needs to position the photomask precisely,resulting in a problem associated with the accuracy of the positioningespecially when forming a highly minute pattern. The use of a photomaskmay also require a distance to be provided between the surface of thepattern irradiation target layer whose wettability is changed and thephotomask or may involve other intermediate layers. In such a case, adisadvantage may be experienced in forming a highly minute pattern dueto the scattering of the light irradiated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, a method is desired by which a pattern-forming body can beproduced at a high accuracy with no need of the post-exposure treatmentwithout allowing any photocatalyst to remain in the resultantpattern-forming body whereby eliminating any problematic effect of thephotocatalyst in the pattern-forming body itself.

The present invention provides a method for producing a pattern-formingbody comprising, placing a photocatalyst-containing layer-sidedsubstrate having a photocatalyst-containing layer containing aphotocatalyst and a substrate and a pattern-forming body substratehaving a characteristic-changeable layer whose characteristics arechanged by the effect of the photocatalyst in thephotocatalyst-containing layer and a light-shading part formed as apattern in such a manner that the photocatalyst-containing layer and thecharacteristic-changeable layer are brought into contact with eachother, followed by exposure on the side of the pattern-forming bodysubstrate to change the characteristics of the characteristic-changeablelayer of the exposed part, followed by removing thephotocatalyst-containing layer-sided substrate whereby obtaining apattern-forming body having a pattern whose characteristics have beenchanged on the characteristic-changeable layer.

In the present invention, since an inventive method forms a pattern bychanging the characteristics of a characteristic-changeable layer of anexposed part by effecting the exposure after positioning aphotocatalyst-containing layer in contact with thecharacteristic-changeable layer, as described above, it can produce apattern-forming body having a highly minute pattern whosecharacteristics have been changed without any requirement of thepost-exposure treatments. It also eliminates the problematic sustainedeffect of the photocatalyst in the pattern-forming body since nophotocatalyst is contained in the pattern-forming body itself because ofthe removal of the photocatalyst-containing layer-sided substrate fromthe pattern-forming body after the exposure. Furthermore, apattern-forming body substrate, which is provided with a light-shadingpart which has previously been formed as a pattern, eliminates therequirement of using a photomask when conducting a pattern exposure onthe characteristic-changeable layer, whereby enabling the patternexposure on the characteristic-changeable layer simply by overallexposure on the side of the pattern-forming body substrate. Accordingly,there is no need of a photomask to be provided separately, or ofpositioning with the photomask. As a result, a pattern-forming body canbe formed by a convenient process.

The present invention also provides a method for producing apattern-forming body comprising, placing a photocatalyst-containinglayer-sided substrate having a photocatalyst-containing layer containinga photocatalyst and a substrate and a pattern-forming body substratehaving a characteristic-changeable layer whose characteristics arechanged by the effect of the photocatalyst in thephotocatalyst-containing layer and a light-shading part formed as apattern in such a manner that the distance between thephotocatalyst-containing layer and the characteristic-changeable layeris 200 μm or less, followed by exposure on the side of thepattern-forming body substrate to change the characteristics of thecharacteristic-changeable layer of the exposed part, followed byremoving the photocatalyst-containing layer-sided substrate wherebyobtaining a pattern-forming body having a pattern whose characteristicshave been changed on the characteristic-changeable layer.

According to the present invention, by placing thephotocatalyst-containing layer and the characteristic-changeable layerat a certain distance and then exposing, the characteristics of thecharacteristic-changeable layer of an exposed part can efficiently beenchanged to form a pattern, whereby obtaining a pattern-forming bodyhaving a highly minute pattern whose characteristics have been changedwith no need of any particular post-exposure treatment.

In the present invention, it is preferred that the pattern-forming bodysubstrate comprises a transparent substrate, a characteristic-changeablelayer formed on the transparent substrate, and a light-shading partformed as a pattern. While the invention may not need a transparentsubstrate since the characteristic-changeable layer itself has a selfsupporting property, a material whose sensitivity to the change in thecharacteristics is satisfactory is poorly self-supportive in general,and should frequently be formed as a coating film on a substrate.Accordingly, it is preferable to employ the characteristic-changeablelayer formed on a transparent substrate as described above.

In the present invention, it is preferred that the light-shading parthas been formed as a pattern on the transparent substrate, and iscovered with the characteristic-changeable layer formed thereon. Whilethe place of the light-shading part is not limited particularly, thelight-shading part as a pattern is formed preferably in a place closeras possible to the place where the photocatalyst-containing layer isbrought into contact with the characteristic-changeable layer in orderto improve the accuracy with avoiding the diffused reflection.Accordingly, it is preferred that the light-shading part as a pattern isformed in the place specified above.

In the present invention, it is preferred that thephotocatalyst-containing layer is a layer consisting of a photocatalyst.When the photocatalyst-containing layer is a layer consisting only of aphotocatalyst, it is possible to improve the efficiency of changing thecharacteristics of the characteristic-changeable layer, whereby enablingan efficient production of a pattern-forming body.

In the present invention, it is preferred that thephotocatalyst-containing layer is a layer obtained by forming a film ofa photocatalyst on a substrate by means of a vacuum film-forming method.When forming the photocatalyst-containing layer by the vacuumfilm-forming method as described above, it is possible to form aphotocatalyst-containing layer whose surface is less irregular and whichhas a uniform film thickness, whereby enabling a uniform and highlyefficient formation of a pattern whose characteristics in thecharacteristic-changeable layer have been changed.

On the other hand, in the present invention, it is preferred, that thephotocatalyst-containing layer may be a layer having a photocatalyst anda binder. By using such a binder, it is possible to form thephotocatalyst-containing layer in a relatively easier manner, resultingin a less expensive formation of a pattern-forming body.

In the present invention, it is preferred that the photocatalyst is oneor more substances selected from the group containing titanium oxide(TiO₂), zinc oxide (ZnO), tin oxide (SnO₂), strontium titanate (SrTiO₃),tungsten oxide (WO₃), bismuth oxide (Bi₂O₃), and iron oxide (Fe₂O₃),and, among these, titanium oxide (TiO₂) is employed preferably as aphotocatalyst since it is effective as a photocatalyst due to a highband gap energy of titanium oxide and it is stable chemical, non-toxicand readily available.

In the present invention, it is preferred that the exposure is effectedwith heating the photocatalyst-containing layer. By conducting theexposure described above with heating the photocatalyst-containinglayer, it is possible to enhance the effect of the photocatalyst,whereby allowing the exposure to be completed efficiently within a shortperiod.

In the present invention, it is preferred that the distance between thephotocatalyst-containing layer and the characteristic-changeable layeris within the range from 0.2 μm to 10 μm when thephotocatalyst-containing layer is placed on the surface of thecharacteristic-changeable layer to effect the exposure. By effecting theexposure with providing a certain short distance as described above, itis possible to change the characteristics of thecharacteristic-changeable layer more effectively.

In the present invention, it is preferred that thecharacteristic-changeable layer is a layer containing no photocatalyst.By employing as the characteristic-changeable layer a layer containingno photocatalyst, it is possible to avoid a sustained effect of thephotocatalyst regardless of the pattern of the pattern-forming body.

In the present invention, it is preferred that thecharacteristic-changeable layer is a wettability-changeable layer whosewettability is changed in such a manner that the contact angle with aliquid upon exposure is reduced by the effect of the photocatalystcontained in the photocatalyst-containing layer. By employing as thecharacteristic-changeable layer a wettability-changeable layerundergoing a reduction in the contact angle with a liquid upon exposureas a result of the effect of the photocatalyst, it is possible toutilize the difference in the wettability between the non-exposed partant the exposed part to facilitate the deposition for example of an inkto the exposed pattern, whereby facilitating the formation of afunctional element.

In the present invention, it is preferred that the contact angle with aliquid whose surface tension is 40 mN/m on the wettability-changeablelayer is 10° or more in a non-exposed part and 9° or less in an exposedpart. A contact angle of a non-exposed part of thewettability-changeable layer described above with a liquid less than 10°leads to an insufficient lyophobic performance, while a contact angle ofan exposed part with a liquid of 10° or more leads to a poor spreadingof a functional element composition for the functional part such as anink, resulting in a disadvantageous event such as a color blank in thecase for example that the functional element is a pixel part of a colorfilter.

In the present invention, it is preferred that thewettability-changeable layer is a layer containing anorganopolysiloxane. In the invention, a wettability-changeable layershould be characterized by the tendency that it exhibits a lyophobicbehavior when being not exposed but becomes lyophilic when being exposedas a result of the effect of a photocatalyst contained in aphotocatalyst-containing layer with which it is in contact. As amaterial which imparts the wettability-changeable layer with such atendency, an organopolysiloxane is employed preferably.

In the present invention, it is preferred that the organopolysiloxane isa polysiloxane containing a fluoroalkyl group. By containing such afluoroalkyl group, it is possible to increase the difference in thewettability between an exposed part and a non-exposed part.

In the present invention, it is preferred that the organopolysiloxane isan organopolysiloxane which is a hydrolytic condensate or a hydrolyticco-condensate of one or more silicon compounds represented by Formula:Y_(n)SiZ_((4−n)), where Y denotes analkyl group, fluoroalkyl group,vinyl group, amino group, phenyl group, or epoxy group, X denotes analkoxyl group or halogen, and n denotes an integer of 0 to 3. By usingsuch an organopolysiloxane, the characteristics in response to thechange in the wettability described above can be exerted.

In the present invention, it is possible that the pattern-forming bodysubstrate has a self supporting wettability-changeable layer on whosesurface a light-shading part formed as a pattern is provided. Awettability-changeable layer which has a self supporting propertyeliminates the necessity of employing a substrate and the like, andallows a pattern-forming body to be formed readily for example by usinga commercially available resin film on whose one side a light-shadingpart has been formed.

In the present invention, it is preferred that thecharacteristic-changeable layer is a decomposition-removable layer whichis decomposed and removed upon exposure by the effect of thephotocatalyst in the photocatalyst-containing layer. By employing as acharacteristic-changeable layer a decomposition-removable layer which isdecomposed and removed upon exposure by the effect of the photocatalyst,it is possible to form an irregular pattern.

In the present invention, it is preferred that the contact angle of aliquid with the decomposition-removable layer is different from thecontact angle of a liquid with the transparent substrate which comes outwhen the decomposition-removable layer is decomposed and removed. As aresult of the difference in the contact angle with a liquid between thedecomposition-removable layer and the transparent substrate which comesout after the decomposition and removal, a pattern can be formedutilizing this difference in the wettability.

In the present invention, it is preferred that thedecomposition-removable layer is either one of a self-assembledmonolayer, Langmuir-Blodgett film or layer-by-layer self-assembled film.By employing such a film as a decomposition-removable layer, a filmhaving a relatively high strength without any defect can readily beformed.

In the present invention, it is preferred that the wettability on thetransparent substrate is 9° or less as a contact angle with a liquidwhose surface tension being 40 mN/m and that on thedecomposition-removable layer being 10° or more. By adjusting thewettability of a transparent substrate and of a decomposition-removablelayer within the respective ranges specified above, it is possible toimpart the part on which the transparent substrate comes out when thedecomposition-removable layer is decomposed and removed and the part onwhich the decomposition-removable layer is remaining with a lyophobicproperty, whereby facilitating the formation for example of a functionalelement.

The present invention also provides a pattern-forming body comprising, atransparent substrate, a characteristic-changeable layer formed on thetransparent substrate whose characteristics are changed by the effect ofa photocatalyst and a light-shading part formed as a pattern, and alsocomprising, a pattern whose characteristics on thecharacteristic-changeable layer have been changed. Since an inventivepattern-forming body has a light-shading part, it eliminates thenecessity of a photomask when being exposed as a pattern in contact witha photocatalyst-containing layer, whereby eliminating the process forpositioning the photomask, resulting in a cost efficient pattern-formingbody.

In the present invention, it is preferred that light-shading part hasbeen formed as a pattern on the transparent substrate, and is coveredwith the characteristic-changeable layer formed thereon. Since it ispossible to form a light-shading part as a pattern in a place closer aspossible to the place where the photocatalyst-containing layer isbrought into contact with the characteristic-changeable layer asdescribed above, it is possible to prevent a reduction in the patternaccuracy due for example to the energy scattering, whereby enabling theformation of a highly minute pattern-forming body.

In the present invention it is preferred that thecharacteristic-changeable layer is a wettability-changeable layer whosewettability is changed by the effect of the photocatalyst. By employingas a characteristic-changeable layer such a wettability-changeablelayer, it is possible utilize the difference in the wettability toobtain a pattern-forming body capable of forming a functional elementefficiently.

In the present invention, it is preferred that the contact angle with aliquid whose surface tension is 40 mN/m on the wettability-changeablelayer is 10° or more in a non-exposed part and 9° or less in an exposedpart. Since a non-exposed part is required to have a lyophobic abilityand an exposed part is required to be lyophilic as described above, thewettability at a degree specified above is required.

In the present invention, it is preferred that thewettability-changeable layer is a layer containing anorganopolysiloxane, and this organopolysiloxane is preferably apolysiloxane containing a fluoroalkyl group. Such awettability-changeable layer gives a substantial change in thewettability as a result of the exposure when being in contact with aphotocatalyst-containing layer.

In the present invention, it is preferred that the organopolysiloxane isan organopolysiloxane which is a hydrolytic condensate or a hydrolyticco-condensate of one or more silicon compounds represented by Formula:Y_(n)SiZ_((4−n)), where Y denotes an alkyl group, fluoroalkyl group,vinyl group, amino group, phenyl group, or epoxy group, X denotes analkoxyl group or halogen, and n denotes an integer of 0 to 3. By forminga wettability-changeable layer using such an organopolysiloxane as astarting material, it is possible to obtain a pattern-forming body onwhich a wettable pattern having a substantial difference in thewettability has been formed.

The present invention also provides a pattern-forming body comprising, aself supporting wettability-changeable layer and a light-shading partformed as a pattern on one side of the wettability-changeable layer andalso comprising, a pattern comprising a lyophilic region and a lyophobicregion on the other side of the wettability-changeable layer. Since sucha pattern-forming body allows a pattern having a different wettabilityto be obtained only by forming a light-shading part as a pattern on thesurface of one side for example of a commercially available filmfollowed by exposing while the surface of the other side being incontact with a photocatalyst-containing layer, resulting in a costefficient pattern-forming body.

In the present invention, it is preferred that thewettability-changeable layer is a layer containing no photocatalyst,since it is possible to obtain a pattern-forming body avoiding asustained effect of the photocatalyst.

In the present invention, it is preferred that thecharacteristic-changeable layer is a decomposition-removable layer whichis decomposed and removed by the effect of the photocatalyst. Byemploying as a characteristic-changeable layer a decomposition-removablelayer, it is possible to form an irregular pattern.

In the present invention, it is preferred that the light-shading parthas been formed as a pattern on the transparent substrate, and iscovered with the decomposition-removable layer. Since it is possible toform a light-shading part as a pattern in a place closer as possible tothe place where the photocatalyst-containing layer is brought intocontact with the wettability-changeable layer as described above, it ispossible to prevent a reduction in the pattern accuracy due for exampleto the energy scattering, whereby enabling the formation of a highlyminute pattern-forming body.

In the present invention, it is preferred that the contact angle of aliquid with the decomposition-removable layer is different from thecontact angle of a liquid with the transparent substrate which comes outwhen the decomposition-removable layer is decomposed and removed. As aresult of the difference in the contact angle with a liquid between thedecomposition-removable layer and the transparent substrate which comesout after the decomposition and removal of the decomposition-removablelayer, it is possible to obtain, utilizing this difference in thewettability, a pattern-forming body with which a functional element canreadily be formed.

In the present invention, it is preferred that thedecomposition-removable layer is either one of a self-assembledmonolayer, Langmuir-Blodgett film, or layer-by-layer self-assembledfilm. As described above, by employing such a film as adecomposition-removable layer, a film having a relatively high strengthwithout any defect can readily be formed.

In the invention, it is preferred that the wettability on thetransparent substrate is 9° or less as a contact angle with a liquidwhose surface tension being 40 mN/m and that on thedecomposition-removable layer being 10° or more. As described above, byadjusting the wettability of a transparent substrate and of adecomposition-removable layer within the respective ranges specifiedabove, it is possible to impart the part on which the transparentsubstrate comes out which the decomposition-removable layer and the parton which the decomposition-removable layer is remaining with a lyophobicproperty, whereby facilitating the formation for example of a functionalelement.

The present invention also provides a functional element comprising, afunctional part positioned along the pattern formed by the change in thecharacteristics in a characteristic-changeable layer on a transparentsubstrate. By using an inventive pattern-forming body as describedabove, a functional element can readily be obtained.

In the present invention, a functional element, where the functionalpart is a metal as described above, is provided. This enables anapplication for example to a highly minute electric circuit substrate.

In the present invention, a color filter comprising, a pixel part as afunctional part of a functional element is provided. Such a color filteris of an extremely high quality because of its highly minute pixel partformed therein at a high accuracy. Similarly, the invention alsoprovides a microlens comprising, a lens part as a functional part of afunctional element. Since this also allows a highly accurate microlensto be obtained by a simple process, it is a less expensive microlens ofa high quality.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a process diagram indicating an example of the method forproducing a pattern-forming body of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an outlined sectional view indicating an example of apattern-forming body substrate employed in the method for producing apattern-forming body of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an outlined sectional view indicating another example of apattern-forming body substrate employed in the method for producing apattern-forming body of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an outlined sectional view indicating still another example ofa pattern-forming body substrate employed in the method for producing apattern-forming body of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an outlined sectional view indicating an example of thecondition of the contact in the method for producing a pattern-formingbody of the present invention.

FIGS. 6A to 6C are outlined sectional views illustrating a functionalelement of the present invention.

FIGS. 7A to 7D are outlined sectional views illustrating a functionalelement of the present invention.

FIGS. 8A to 8C are outlined sectional views illustrating an example ofthe method for producing a microlens according to the present invention.

FIGS. 9A to 9C are outlined sectional views illustrating a functionalelement of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The invention relates to a method for producing a pattern-forming bodyand also to a pattern-forming body itself. The invention is detailedbelow in sections.

A. Methods for Producing Pattern-forming Bodies

A method for producing a pattern-forming body of the present inventionis detailed below. In a method for producing a pattern-forming body ofthe invention, a photocatalyst-containing layer-sided substrate having aphotocatalyst-containing layer containing a photocatalyst and asubstrate and a pattern-forming body substrate having acharacteristic-changeable layer whose characteristics are changed by theeffect of the photocatalyst in the photocatalyst-containing layer and alight-shading part formed as a pattern are exposed on the side of thepattern-forming body substrate with the photocatalyst-containing layerand the characteristic-changeable layer being brought into contact witheach other to change the characteristics of thecharacteristic-changeable layer of the exposed part and then thephotocatalyst-containing layer-sided substrate is removed to obtain apattern-forming body having a pattern whose characteristics have beenchanged on the characteristic-changeable layer.

As described above, in a method for producing a pattern-forming body ofthe present invention, an overall exposure from the side of thecharacteristic-changeable layer with the photocatalyst-containing layerbeing in contact with the characteristic-changeable layer results in thechange in the characteristics of a characteristic-changeable layer of apart exposed by the effect of a photocatalyst in aphotocatalyst-containing layer, whereby yielding a pattern formed by thepart which has been exposed on the characteristic-changeable layer,i.e., the part whose characteristics have been changed. Accordingly, thepattern formation does not need any post-treatments such aspost-exposure developing or washing, allowing a pattern having differentcharacteristics to be obtained by reduced number of manufacturingprocess at a lower cost when compared with conventional methods.Therefore, it is possible to form a functional element such as a colorfilter more readily at a lower cost by forming the functional part along the resultant pattern whose characteristics have been changed.

Also since in the present invention the photocatalyst-containinglayer-sided substrate is removed to obtain the pattern-forming bodysubstrate as a pattern-forming body after changing the characteristicson the characteristic-changeable layer by the effect of thephotocatalyst in the photocatalyst-containing layer, the resultantpattern-forming body does not necessarily contain the photocatalyst.Accordingly, when the resultant pattern-forming body is imparted with afunctional part to form a functional element, the functional element canavoid any disadvantageous sustained effect of the photocatalyst.

Also since in the present invention the light-shading part is formed asa pattern on the substrate on the pattern-forming body substrate, anoverall exposure on the side of the pattern-forming body substrateallows a pattern having different characteristics to be formed readilyon the characteristic-changeable layer. Accordingly, the inventivemethod does not require a photomask, which is required in an ordinarypattern exposure, or photo-writing and the like. In addition, thepossibility of allowing the position where the light-shading part to beclose to the position where the photocatalyst-containing layer is incontact with the characteristic-changeable layer leads to the preventionof any reduction in the accuracy due to the scattering of the energy forexample of the exposing light, whereby yielding a pattern having anextremely high accuracy.

A method for producing a pattern-forming body of the present inventionis now discussed with referring to figures. The term “pattern” employedin the present invention is not limited particularly, and may be any ofvarious pattern including graphics, images, circuits, and texts.

FIG. 1 shows an example of the methods for producing pattern-formingbodies according to the present invention. In this production method, aphotocatalyst-containing layer-sided substrate 3 comprising a substrate1 and a photocatalyst-containing layer 2 formed on the substrata 1 and apattern-forming body substrate 7 comprising a transparent substrate 4, alight-shading part 5 formed as a pattern on this transparent substrate4, and a characteristic-changeable layer 6 formed on this light-shadingpart 5 are provided (FIG. 1A).

Then, the photocatalyst-containing layer 2 in thephotocatalyst-containing layer-sided substrate 3 is placed in contactwith the characteristic-changeable layer 6 in the pattern-forming bodysubstrate 7 (FIG. 1B). This contact is not limited to a completely closecontact, and a placement involving a certain distance may be acceptableas described below.

Under the condition where the photocatalyst-containing layer 2 and thecharacteristic-changeable layer 6 are placed as described above, energy8 is irradiated on the side of the pattern-forming body substrate 7. Asa result, the characteristics of the characteristic-changeable layer 6of a part where the light-shading part 5 has not been formed are changedto yield a characteristic-changeable region 10 (FIG. 1C).

Subsequently, the photocatalyst-containing layer-sided substrate 3 isremoved (separated) to obtain a pattern-forming body 7′ on which thecharacteristic-changeable region 10 has been formed.

Employing the production method described above as an example, a methodfor producing a pattern-forming body of the present invention is furtherdetailed below.

1. Photocatalyst-containing Layer-sided Substrate

A photocatalyst-containing layer-sided substrate employed in the presentinvention is discussed first. A photocatalyst-containing layer-sidedsubstrate employed in a method for producing a pattern-forming body ofthe invention has at least a photocatalyst-containing layer and asubstrate, and is formed usually by forming a photocatalyst-containinglayer as a thin film on a substrate by a certain method. Thecomponent-by-component description is made below.

(Photocatalyst-containing Layer)

A photocatalyst-containing layer employed in the invention is notlimited particularly provided that it allows a photocatalyst containedin the photocatalyst-containing layer to change the characteristics of acharacteristic-changeable layer with which it is brought into contact,and may comprising a photocatalyst and a binder or may be a layer formedas a film only from a photocatalyst itself. The wettability of itssurface may be of lyophilic or it may have a lyophobic surface.

While the action mechanism of a photocatalyst in aphotocatalyst-containing layer, such as titanium oxide described above,is not known clearly, it is assumed that a carrier generated by theirradiation of a light may reacts directly with a nearby compound or mayyield active oxygen species in the presence of oxygen and water to exertsome effects on the chemical structures of organic compounds. In thepresent invention, such a carrier is assumed to exert some effects oncompounds in the characteristic-changeable layer which is brought intocontact on the photocatalyst-containing layer.

A photocatalyst employed in the present invention may for example be oneknown as a photosemiconductor such as titanium oxide (TiO₂), zinc oxide(ZnO), tin oxide (SnO₂), strontium titanate (SrTiO₃), tungsten oxide(WO₃), bismuth oxide (Bi₂O₃) and iron oxide (Fe₂O₃), any of which can beemployed alone or in combination with each other.

In the present invention, a titanium oxide is especially preferred sinceit has a high band gap energy and is stable chemically and non-toxic,and also readily available. Titanium oxides can be grouped into anatasetype and rutile type, both of which can be employed in the invention,with a titanium oxide of the anatase type being preferred. Theexcitation wavelength of an anatase titanium oxide is 380 nm or less.

Such an anatase titanium oxide may for example be hydrochloricacid-deswelling anatase-type titania sol (Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha, Ltd.,STS-02 (mean particle size: 7 nm), Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha Ltd., ST-K01),nitric acid-deswelling anatase-type titania sol (Nissan ChemicalIndustries, Ltd., TA-15 (mean particle size: 12 nm) and the like.

A smaller particle size of a photocatalyst is more preferred because ofa higher efficiency of the photocatalytic reaction, with a mean particlesize of 50 nm or less being preferred, 20 nm or less being particularlypreferred.

A photocatalyst-containing layer in the present invention may be formedonly from a photocatalyst or may be formed from a mixture with a binder.

In the case of a photocatalyst-containing layer formed only from aphotocatalyst, the efficiency in response to the change in thecharacteristics of a characteristic-changeable layer is improved,resulting in an advantageously reduced cost due to a reduced treatmenttime period and the like. On the other hand, a photocatalyst-containinglayer comprising a photocatalyst and a binder is also advantageous sinceit allows the photocatalyst-containing layer to be formed readily.

A method for producing a photocatalyst-containing layer consisting onlyof a photocatalyst may for example be a vacuum film-forming method suchas a sputtering method, CVD method, vacuum vapor deposition method andthe like. By forming a photocatalyst-containing layer by a vacuumfilm-forming method, it is possible to obtain a uniformphotocatalyst-containing layer which contains only a photocatalyst,which allows the characteristics on a characteristic-changeable layer tobe changed uniformly, and the use only of the photocatalyst enables amore efficient change in the characteristics on thecharacteristic-changeable layer when compared to the use in combinationwith a binder.

A method for producing a photocatalyst-containing layer consisting onlyof a photocatalyst, in the case for example that the photocatalyst is atitanium oxide, involves the formation of an amorphous titania on asubstrate followed by the phase transition to a crystalline titania bycalcination. Such an amorphous titania employed here can be obtained forexample by hydrolysis or dehydrating condensation of an inorganic saltof a titanium such as titanium tetrachloride and titanium sulfate, or byhydrolysis or dehydrating condensation of an organic titanium compoundsuch as tetraethoxytitanium, tetraisopropoxytitanium,tetra-n-propoxytitanium, tetrabutoxytitanium and tetramethoxytitanium inthe presence of an acid. Subsequently, the resultant titania may besintered at 400 to 500° C. to convert into an anatase titania or at 600to 700° C. to convert into an rutile titania.

When using a binder, a binder having a high binding energy sufficient toprevent the decomposition of its backbone by the photoexcitation of thephotocatalyst is preferred, such as an organopolysiloxane which isdetailed below in the section of a characteristic-changeable layer.

When such an organopolysiloxane is employed as a binder, aphotocatalyst-containing layer described above can be formed bydispersing a photocatalyst and an organopolysiloxane as a binder ifnecessary together with other additives in a solvent to prepare acoating solution, followed by coating this coating solution on asubstrate. The solvent employed here is preferably an alcoholic solventsuch as ethanol and isopropanol. The coating may be accomplished by aknown coating method such as spin coat, spray coat, dip coat, roll coat,and beads coat. When a component of UV setting type is contained as abinder, a photocatalyst-containing layer can be formed by irradiating aUV ray to effect setting.

An amorphous silica precursor may be employed also as a binder. Such anamorphous silica precursor is preferably a silicon compound representedby Formula: SiX₄, where X is a halogen, methoxy group, ethoxy group, oracetyl group, a hydrolysate thereof, i.e., silanol, or a polysiloxanewhose mean molecular weight is 3000 or less.

Those mentioned typically are tetraethoxysilane, tetraisopropoxysilane,tetra-n-propoxysilane, tetrabutoxysilane, tetramethoxysilane and thelike. In this case, a photocatalyst-containing layer can be formed bydispersing an amorphous silica precursor and the particle of aphotocatalyst uniformly in a non-aqueous solvent followed by ahydrolysis by water contained in air to form a silanol on a transparentsubstrate followed by a dehydrating condensation polymerization at roomtemperature. By conducting the dehydrating condensation polymerizationat 100° C. or higher, the polymerization degree of the silanol isincreased, whereby improving the strength of the film surface. Each ofthe binders listed above may be employed alone or in combination.

The photocatalyst content in a photocatalyst-containing layer when usinga binder is 5 to 60% by weight, preferably 20 to 40% by weight. Thethickness of the photocatalyst-containing layer is preferably within therange from 0.05 to 10 μm.

A photocatalyst-containing layer may contain a surfactant in addition toa photocatalyst and a binder described above. Those exemplifiedtypically are hydrocarbon-based surfactants such as each series ofNIKKOL BL, BC, BO and BB (Nikko Chemicals Co., Ltd.) and fluorine-basedor silicone-based nonionic surfactants such as ZONYL FSN and FSO (DuPont Kabushiki Kaisha), Surflon S-141 and 145 (Asahi Glass Company),MEGAFACE-141 and 144 (Dainippon Ink and Chemicals, Incorporated),Ftergent F-200 and F251 (NEOS CORPORATION.), UNIDYNE DS-401 and 402(DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, Ltd.), FLOLADE FC-170 and 176 (3M) and the like, aswell as cationic surfactants, anionic surfactants and zwitterionicsurfactants.

In addition to the surfactants listed above, oligomers and polymers ofpolyvinyl alcohols, unsaturated polyesters, acrylic resins,polyethylenes, diallyl phthalate, ethylenepropylenediene monomer, epoxyresins, phenol resins, polyurethane, melamine resins, polycarbonates,polyvinyl chlorides, polyamides, polyimides, styrene-butadiene rubbers,chloroprene rubbers, polypropylenes, polybutylenes, polystyreness,polyvinyl acetates, polyesters, polybutadienes, polybenzimidazoles,polyacrylonitriles, epichlorohydrins, polysulfites, polyisoprenes andthe like may also be contained in a photocatalyst-containing layer.

(Substrate)

In present the invention, as shown in FIG. 1A, aphotocatalyst-containing layer-sided substrate 3 has at least asubstrate 1 and a photocatalyst-containing layer 2 formed on thissubstrata 1.

Since this substrate eliminates the need of transmitting any light uponexposure as shown also in FIG. 1C, its material is not limitedparticularly and may be any material as desired. Nevertheless, sincethis photocatalyst-containing layer-sided substrate is used repetitivelyin the invention, a material having a certain strength whose surface canbe in close contact with the photocatalyst-containing layer is employedpreferably.

Those exemplified typically are glasses, ceramics, metals, plastics andthe like.

For the purpose of improving the close contact between the surface of asubstrate and a photocatalyst-containing layer, a primer layer may beformed on the substrate. Such a primer layer may for example be ofsilane-based and titanium-based coupling agents.

2. Pattern-forming Body Substrate

A pattern-forming body substrate employed in the present invention isdiscussed below. A pattern-forming body substrate employed in theinvention is not limited particularly provided that it has at least acharacteristic-changeable layer and a light-shading part formed as apattern. As shown in FIG. 1A as an example, a transparent substrate 4may has a light-shading part 5 formed thereon, further on which acharacteristic-changeable layer 6 is formed to give a pattern-formingbody substrate 7 (hereinafter referred to as Embodiment 1), or,alternatively as shown in FIG. 2, where the characteristic-changeablelayer has a self supporting property the light-shading part 5 may beformed on the characteristic-changeable layer 6 to give thepattern-forming body substrate 7 (hereinafter referred to as Embodiment2).

Each embodiment is discussed below separately.

(1) Embodiment 1

Embodiment 1 of a pattern-forming body substrate of the presentinvention relates to a pattern-forming body substrate having acharacteristic-changeable layer, a light-shading part, and a transparentsubstrate. Each component is discussed below.

(Characteristic-changeable Layer)

A characteristic-changeable layer of this embodiment is discussed first.A characteristic-changeable layer of this embodiment is not limitedparticularly provided that its characteristics are changed by the effectof a photocatalyst-containing layer described above. For example, thecharacteristic-changeable layer may be converted to a layer that can becolored by the effect of the photocatalyst by admixing a photochromicmaterial such as spiropyran or an organic dye decomposable by the effectof the photocatalyst with the characteristic-changeable layer.

It is also possible to use as a characteristic-changeable layer a layerwhose adhesiveness to various materials is improved as a result of theintroduction of a polar group or of the surface condition imparted witha roughness by the effect of a photocatalyst in an exposed part by usinga polymeric material such as a polyolefin including polyethylenes andpolypropylenes. By employing as a characteristic-changeable layer anadhesion-changeable layer whose adhesiveness is changed, a patternhaving a satisfactory adhesiveness can be formed by a pattern exposure.A pattern-forming body having a pattern of such a satisfactorilyadhesive part enables the formation of a metal thin film pattern forexample by depositing a metal component to such a pattern-forming bodyto form a metal thin layer followed by utilizing the difference in theadhesiveness to peel the metal thin film for example by means ofadhesive agents or other reagents. By this method, a metal thin filmpattern can be formed without forming a resist pattern, whereby enablingthe formation of a print board or electronic circuit element whosepattern is further minute when compared with those obtained by aprinting process.

Also in this embodiment, such a characteristic-changeable layer may beone formed by a dry process, i.e., a vacuum vapor deposition and thelike, or by a wet process, i.e., a spin coat or dip coat process.

While a characteristic-changeable layer is not limited particularlyprovided that it has various characteristics which are changed by theeffect of a photocatalyst, the following two cases, i.e., the case wherethe characteristic-changeable layer is a wettability-changeable layerwhose wettability is changed by the effect of the photocatalyst to forma wettability-based pattern and the case where thecharacteristic-changeable layer is a decomposition-removable layer whichis decomposed and removed by the effect of the photocatalyst to form anirregular pattern are preferred particularly in this embodiment sincethey realize the effectiveness of this embodiment especially in view ofthe resultant functional elements and the like.

Such wettability-changeable layer and decomposition-removable layer arediscussed below.

a. Wettability-changeable Layer

While a wettability-changeable layer in this embodiment is not limitedparticularly provided that it is a layer whose surface undergoes thechange in the wettability by the effect of a photocatalyst describedabove, it is preferably a layer whose wettability is changed in such amanner that the contact angle with a liquid on the surface of thewettability-changeable layer is reduced by the effect of thephotocatalyst upon exposure.

It should be made from a material enabling the transmission of an energycapable of activating a photocatalyst in a photocatalyst-containinglayer which is in contact.

Thus, by employing a wettability-changeable layer whose wettability ischanged in such a manner that the contact angle with a liquid is reducedupon exposure (to the irradiation not only with light but also withenergy in this embodiment), the exposure through the light-shading partdescribed above allows the wettability to be changed readily in apattern whereby forming a pattern of the lyophilic region whose contactangle with a liquid is low, to which a composition for the functionalpart is then deposited, whereby allowing a functional element to beobtained easily. Thus, the functional element can efficiently beproduced, resulting in an advantageous cost efficiency.

A lyophilic region mentioned here means a region where the contact anglewith a liquid is low, i.e., a region which is readily wet with acomposition for the functional part, including an ink for coloring apixel part (colored part) for example when the functional element is acolor filter and a microlens-forming composition when the functionalelement is a microlens. A lyophobic region means a region where thecontact angle with a liquid is high, i.e., a region which is poorly wetwith a composition for the functional part described above.

In this embodiment, a region is referred to as a lyophilic region whenthe contact angle with a liquid is lower by 1° or more than the contactangle with a liquid in the adjacent region, while it is referred to as alyophobic region when the contact angle with a liquid is higher by 1° ormore than the contact angle with a liquid in the adjacent region.

A wettability-changeable layer has a wettability in a non-exposedregion, i.e., in a lyophobic region, which gives a contact angle with aliquid whose surface tension is 40 mN/m of 10° or more, preferably acontact angle with a liquid whose surface tension is 30 mN/m of 10° ormore, particularly a contact angle with a liquid whose surface tensionis 20 mN/m of 10° or more. Since a non-exposed part should have alyophobic property in this embodiment, a low contact angle with a liquidresults in an insufficient lyophobic effect, which may lead to aproblematic remaining of a composition for the functional part describedabove.

A wettability-changeable layer is preferably a layer which undergoes areduction in the contact angle with a liquid upon exposure to give acontact angle with a liquid whose surface tension is 40 mN/m of 9° orless, preferably a contact angle with a liquid whose surface tension is50 mN/m of 10° or less, particularly a contact angle with a liquid whosesurface tension is 60 mN/m of 10° or less. Since a high contact angle inan exposed part, i.e., a lyophilic region, may lead to a poor spreadingof a composition for the functional part in this part, resulting in aproblem for example due to defect of the functional part.

The contact angle with a liquid mentioned here is based on the resultsor on a graph from such results obtained by measuring the contact angleswith liquids having various surface tensions (30 seconds after droppinga liquid from a microsyringe) using a contact angle measuring instrument(Kyowa Interface Science Co., LTD., model CA-Z). Liquids having varioussurface tensions employed in this measurement we employed were thewettability index standard solutions produced by JUNSEI CHEMICAL CO.,LTD.

Also when using a wettability-changeable layer described above in thisembodiment, this wettability-changeable layer may further containfluorine, and such a wettability-changeable layer has been formed insuch a manner that the fluorine content on the surface of thiswettability-changeable layer is reduced upon exposure of thewettability-changeable layer by the effect of a photocatalyst describedabove when compared with the content before exposure.

Such characteristics of a wettability-changeable layer allow a patternof a less fluorine content to be formed readily by a pattern irradiationof energy. The fluorine employed here has an extremely low surfaceenergy, which gives a lower critical surface tension of the surface of afluorine-rich substance. Accordingly, the critical surface tension of afluorine-poor region becomes greater than the critical surface tensionof a fluorine-rich surface. This means that the fluorine-poor partbecomes a relatively more lyophilic region when compared with thefluorine-rich part. Therefore, to form a pattern of a fluorine-poor partwhen compared with surrounding surface is to form a pattern of alyophilic region within a lyophobic region.

Accordingly, when employing such a wettability-changeable layer, apattern irradiation of energy allows a pattern of a lyophilic region tobe formed readily within a lyophobic region, whereby facilitating theformation of a functional part exclusively within this lyophilic region,resulting in a cost-efficient functional element having a satisfactoryquality.

The fluorine content of a fluorine-containing wettability-changeablelayer described above in a fluorine-poor lyophilic region formed byexposure is 10 or less, preferably 5 or less, more preferably 1 or less,based on 100 as the fluorine content in a non-exposed region.

A content within the range specified above allows the wettability to bedifferent substantially between an exposed part and a non-exposed part.Accordingly, by forming a functional part in such awettability-changeable layer, it is possible to form the functional partcorrectly only within a lyophilic region whose fluorine content isreduced, whereby enabling a production of a functional element at a highaccuracy. Any reduction in the content mentioned here is based onweight.

The measurement of the fluorine content of the wettability-changeablelayer can be accomplished by various methods employed ordinarily, andany method capable of quantifying fluorine on a surface can be employedsuch as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy also referred to as ESCA(electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis), fluorescent X-rayanalysis, mass spectroscopy and the like.

While a material employed in such a wettability-changeable layer is notlimited particularly provided that it undergoes a change in thecharacteristics of the wettability-changeable layer described above,i.e., the change in the wettability, by the effect of a photocatalyst ina photocatalyst-containing layer which becomes in contact with exposureand also provided that it has a backbone which is not degraded ordecomposed readily by the effect of the photocatalyst, those exemplifiedare (1) an organopolysiloxane which exerts a substantial strengthobtained by hydrolysis or polymerization condensation of chloro- oralkoxysilane in a sol-gel reaction, and (2) an organopolysiloxane suchas an organopolysiloxane crosslinked with a reactive silicone which hasexcellent water-repelling or oil-repelling property.

A substance (1) described above is preferably an organopolysiloxanewhich is a hydrolytic condensate or a hydrolytic co-condensate of one ormore silicon compounds represented by Formula:Y_(n)SiZ_((4−n))wherein Y denotes an alkyl group, fluoroalkyl group, vinyl group, aminogroup, phenyl group or epoxy group, X denotes an alkoxyl group, acetylgroup or halogen, and n denotes an integer of 0 to 3. The number ofcarbon atoms in a group represented by Y is preferably 1 to 20, and thealkoxy group represented by X is preferably a methoxy group, ethoxygroup, propoxy group, and butoxy group.

Those exemplified typically are methyltrichlorosilane,methyltribromosilane, methyltrimethoxysilane, methyltriethoxysilane,methyltriisopropoxysilane, methyltri-t-butoxysilane;ethyltrichlorosilane, ethyltribromosilane, ethyltrimehtoxysilane,ethyltriethoxysilane, ethyltriisopropoxysilane, ethyltri-t-butoxysilane;n-propyltrichlorosilane, n-propyltribromosilane,n-propyltrimethoxysilane, n-propyltriethoxysilane,n-propytriisopropoxysilane, n-propyltri-t-butoxysilane;n-hexyltrichlorosilane, n-hexyltribromosilane, n-hexyltrimethoxysilane,n-hexyltriethoxysilane, n-propytriisopropoxysilane,n-hexyltri-t-butoxysilane; n-decyltrichlorosilane,n-decyltribromosilane, n-decyltrimethoxysilane, n-decyltriethoxysilane,n-decyltriisopropoxysilane, n-decyltri-t-butoxysilane;n-octadecyltrichlorosilane, n-octadecyltribromosilane,n-octadecyltrimethoxysilane, n-octadecyltriethoxysilane,n-octadecyltriisopropoxysilane, n-octadecyltri-t-butoxysilane;phenyltrichlorosilane, phenyltribromosilane, phenyltrimethoxysilane,phenyltriethoxysilane, propytriisopropoxysilane,phenyltri-t-butoxysilane; tetrachlorosilane, tetrabromosilane,tetramethoxysilane, tetraethoxysilane, tetrabutoxysilane,dimethoxydiethoxysilane; dimethyldichlorosilane, dimethyldibromosilane,dimethyldimethoxysilane, dimethyldiethoxysilane; diphenyldithlorosilane,diphenyldibromosilane, diphenyldimehtoxysilane, diphenyldiethoxysilane;phenylmethyldichlorosilane, phenylmethyldibromosilane,phenylmethyldimethoxysilane, phenylmethyldiethoxysilane;trichlorohydrosilane, tribromohydrosilane, trimethoxyhydrosilane,triethoxyhydrosilane, triisopropoxyhydrosilane, tri-t-butoxyhydrosilane;vinyltrichlorosilane, vinyltribromosilane, vinyltrimehtoxysilane,vinyltriethoxysilane, vinyltriisopropoxysilane, vinyltri-t-butoxysilane;trifluoropropyltrichlorosilane, trifluoropropyltribromosilane,trifluoropropyltrimehtoxysilane, trifluoropropyltriethoxysilane,trifluoropropyltriisopropoxysilane, trifluoropropyltri-t-butoxysilane;γ-glycidoxypropylmethyldimethoxysilane,γ-glycidoxypropylmethyldiethoxysilane,γ-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane, γ-glycidoxypropyltriethoxysilane,γ-glycidoxypropyltriisopropoxysilane,γ-glycidoxypropyltri-t-butoxysilane;γ-methacryloxypropylmethyldimethoxysilane,γ-methacryloxypropylmethyldiethoxysilane,γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane,γ-methacryloxypropyltriethoxysilane,γ-methacryloxypropyltriisopropoxysilane,γ-methacryloxypropyltri-t-butoxysilane;γ-aminopropylmethyldimethoxysilane, γ-aminopropylmethyldiethoxysilane,γ-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane,γ-aminopropyltriisopropoxysilane, γ-aminopropyltri-t-butoxysilane;γ-mercaptopropylmethyldimethoxysilane,γ-mercaptopropylmethyldiethoxysilane, γ-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane,γ-mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane, γ-mercaptopropyltriisopropoxysilane,γ-mercaptopropyltri-t-butoxysilane;β-(3,4-epoxycyclohexy)ethyltrimethoxysilane,β-(3,4-epoxycyclohexy)ethyltriethoxysilane; and partial hydrolysatesthereof as well as mixture thereof.

A fluoroalkyl group-containing organopolysiloxane is especiallypreferred, and those exemplified typically are hydrolytic condensates orhydrolytic co-condensates of one or more fluoroalkylsilicon compoundslisted below and those known generally as fluorine-based silane couplingagents can be employed.

-   CF₃(CF₂)₃CH₂CH₂Si(OCH₃)₃;-   CF₃(CF₂)₅CH₂CH₂Si(OCH₃)₃;-   CF₃(CF₂)₇CH₂CH₂Si(OCH₃)₃;-   CF₃(CF₂)₉CH₂CH₂Si(OCH₃)₃;-   (CF₃)₂CF(CF₂)₄CH₂CH₂Si(OCH₃)₃;-   (CF₃)₂CF(CF₂)₆CH₂CH₂Si(OCH₃)₃;-   (CF₃)₂CF(CF₂)₈CH₂CH₂Si(OCH₃)₃;-   CF₃(C₆H₄)C₂H₄Si(OCH₃)₃;-   CF₃(CF₂)₃(C₆H₄)C₂H₄Si(OCH₃)₃;-   CF₃(CF₂)₅(C₆H₄)C₂H₄Si(OCH₃)₃;-   CF₃(CF₂)₇(C₆H₄)C₂H₄Si(OCH₃)₃;-   CF₃(CF₂)₃CH₂CH₂SiCH₃(OCH₃)₂;-   CF₃(CF₂)₅CH₂CH₂SiCH₃(OCH₃)₂;-   CF₃(CF₂)₇CH₂CH₂SiCH₃(OCH₃)₂;-   CF₃(CF₂)₉CH₂CH₂SiCH₃(OCH₃)₂;-   (CF₃)₂CF(CF₂)₄CH₂CH₂SiCH₃(OCH₃)₃;-   (CF₃)₂CF(CF₂)₆CH₂CH₂SiCH₃(OCH₃)₃;-   (CF₃)₂CF(CF₂)₈CH₂CH₂SiCH₃(OCH₃)₃;-   CF₃(C₆H₄)C₂H₄SiCH₃(OCH₃)₂;-   CF₃(CF₂)₃(C₆H₄)C₂H₄SiCH₃(OCH₃)₂;-   CF₃(CF₂)₅(C₆H₄)C₂H₄SiCH₃(OCH₃)₂;-   CF₃(CF₂)₇(C₆H₄)C₂H₄SiCH₃(OCH₃)₂;-   CF₃(CF₂)₃CH₂CH₂Si(OCH₂CH₃)₃;-   CF₃(CF₂)₅CH₂CH₂Si(OCH₂CH₃)₃;-   CF₃(CF₂)₇CH₂CH₂Si(OCH₂CH₃)₃;-   CF₃(CF₂)₉CH₂CH₂Si(OCH₂CH₃)₃; and,-   CF₃(CF₂)₇SO₂N (C₂H₅)C₂H₄CH₂Si(OCH₃)₃.

By using a fluroalkyl group-containing polysiloxane as a binder, thelyophobic property of a non-exposed part of a wettability-changeablelayer is improved greatly, whereby exerting a function for preventingthe deposition of a composition for the functional part such as an inkfor coloring a pixel part for example in the case where the functionalelement is a color filter.

As a reactive silicone (2) described above, a compound having a backbonerepresented by Formula:

wherein n is an integer of 2 or more, each of R¹ and R² is a substitutedor unsubstituted alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, or cyanoalkyl group having 1 to10 carbon atoms provided that 40% by mole or less of the total is vinyl,phenyl, and halogenated phenyl. A compound whose R¹ and R² are methylgroups is preferred because of its lowest surface energy, with themethyl group present in an amount of 60% by mole or more beingpreferred. The terminal of the chain or side chain has at least onereactive group such as a hydroxyl group in its molecule chain.

An organopolysiloxane described above maybe mixed with a stableorganosilicone compound which undergoes no crosslinking, such as adimethylpolysiloxane.

While this embodiment can employ various materials such asorganopolysiloxanes in a wettability-changeable layer, it is effectivefor a wettable pattern formation to introduce fluorine to thewettability-changeable layer. Accordingly, it is preferred to introducea fluorine to a material which is difficult to be deteriorated ordecomposed by the effect of a photocatalyst, and more typically, it ispreferred to introduce fluorine to an organopolysiloxane material toform a wettability-changeable layer.

A method for incorporating fluorine to an organopolysiloxane materialmay for example be a method in which fluorine is bound with a relativelylow binding energy to an ingredient usually having a high binding energyor a method in which a fluorine compound bound with a relatively lowbinding energy is admixed into a wettability-changeable layer. Byintroducing fluorine by such a method, the fluorine binding site atwhich the binding energy is relatively low is decomposed first uponexposure, whereby eliminating the fluorine from a wettability-changeablelayer.

The first method described above, i.e., the method in which fluorine isbound with a relatively low binding energy to a binder having a highbinding energy, may for example be a method in which a fluoroalkyl groupis introduced as a substituent into an organopolysiloxane describedabove.

In a method for obtaining an organopolysiloxane, an organopolysiloxaneexerting a substantial strength can be obtained by hydrolysis orpolymerization condensation of chloro- or alkoxysilane in a sol-gelreaction as described above in (1). While in such a method anorganopolysiloxane is obtained by subjecting one or more of siliconcompounds represented by Formula:Y_(n)SiZ_((4−n))wherein Y denotes an alkyl group, fluoroalkyl group, vinyl group, aminogroup, phenyl group or epoxy group, X denotes an alkoxyl group, acetylgroup or halogen, and n denotes an integer of 0 to 3 to a hydrolyticcondensation or hydrolytic co-condensation, an organopolysiloxane havinga fluoroalkyl group as a substituent can be obtained by conducting thesynthesis using a silicon compound having a fluoroalkyl group as asubstituent Y. When using as a binder such an organopolysiloxane havinga fluoroalkyl group as a substituent, the carbon bond of the fluoroalkylgroup is decomposed, upon exposure, by the effect of a photocatalystcontained in a photocatalyst-containing layer which is in contact,whereby reducing the fluorine content of an exposed part in awettability-changeable layer.

While a fluoroalkyl group-containing silicon compound employed here isnot limited particularly provided that it has a fluoroalkyl group, it ispreferably a silicon compound which has at least one fluoroalkyl groupand whose fluoroalkyl group has 4 to 30, preferably 6 to 20, morepreferably 6 to 16 carbon atoms. Examples of such a silicon compound areas described above, and a silicon compound whose fluoroalkyl group has 6to 8 carbon atoms, i.e., a fluoroalkylsilane, is preferred.

In this embodiment, a silicon compound having such a fluoroalkyl groupmay be combined with a silicon compound containing no fluoroalkyl groupdescribed above to employ its hydrolytic co-condensate as anolganopolysiloxane, or one or more of the fluoroalkyl group-containingsilicon compounds are combined to employ their hydrolytic condensate orhydrolytic co-condensate as an olganopolysiloxane.

In a fluoroalkyl group-containing organopolysiloxane thus obtained, afluoroalkyl group-containing silicon compound described above is presentin an amount of 0.01% by mol or more, preferably 0.1% by mol or morebased on the silicon compounds as constituents of thisorganopolysiloxane.

By containing the fluoroalkyl group in an amount specified above, thelyophobic ability on a wettability-changeable layer is increased,whereby increasing the difference in the wettability from that in anexposed lyophilic region.

While in the method of (2) described above an organopolysiloxane isobtained by crosslinking a highly lyophobic reactive silicone, it issimilarly possible also in this case to incorporate fluorine into awettability-changeable layer by employing fluorine-containingsubstituents as one or both of R¹ and R² in the formula shown above, andit is also possible that the fluorine content on the surface of thewettability-changeable layer can be reduced by exposure since thedecomposition occurs upon exposure at the fluoroalkyl group whosebinding energy is lower than a siloxane bond.

On the other hand, the latter method where a fluorine compound boundwith a lower energy than the binding energy of a binder may for examplebe a method in which a fluorine-based surfactant is introduced when alow molecular weight fluorine compound is intended to be incorporated,or a method in which a fluorine resin whose compatibility with a binderresin is high is incorporated when a high molecular weight fluorinecompound is intended to be incorporated.

A wettability-changeable layer in this embodiment can further containsurfactants. Those exemplified typically are hydrocarbon-basedsurfactants such as each series of NIKKOL BL, BC, BO and BB (NikkoChemicals Co., Ltd.) and fluorine-based or silicone-based nonionicsurfactants such as ZONYL FSN and FSO (Du Pont Kabushiki Kaisha),Surflon S-141 and 145 (Asahi Glass Company), MEGAFACE-141 and 144(Dainippon Ink and Chemicals, Incorporated), Ftergent F-200 and F251(NEOS CORPORATION.), UNIDYNE DS-401 and 402 (DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, Ltd.),FLOLADE FC-170 and 176 (3M) and the like, as well as cationicsurfactants, anionic surfactants and zwitterionic surfactants.

In addition to the surfactants listed above, oligomers and polymers ofpolyvinyl alcohols, unsaturated polyesters, acrylic resins,polyethylenes, diallyl phthalate, ethylenepropylenediene monomer, epoxyresins, phenol resins, polyurethane, melamine resins, polycarbonates,polyvinyl chlorides, polyamides, polyimides, styrene butadiene rubbers,chloroprene rubbers, polypropylenes, polybutylenes, polystyreness,polyvinyl acetates, polyesters, polybutadienes, polybenzimidazoles,polyacrylonitriles, epichlorohydrins, polysulfites, polyisoprenes andthe like may also be contained in a wettability-changeable layer.

Such a wettability-changeable layer can be formed by dispersing thecomponents described above if necessary together with other additives ina solvent to prepare a coating solution, followed by coating thiscoating solution on a substrate. The solvent employed here is preferablyan alcoholic solvent such as ethanol and isopropanol. The coating may beaccomplished by a known coating method such as spin coat, spray coat,dip coat, roll coat and bead coat. When a component of UV setting typeis contained, a wettability-changeable layer can be formed byirradiating a UV ray to effect setting.

In this embodiment, the thickness of a wettability-changeable layer ispreferably 0.001 μm to 1 μm in view of the rate of the change in thewettability by a photocatalyst, more preferably 0.01 to 0.1 μm.

In the present invention, by employing a wettability-changeable layerhaving the components described above, the wettability of an exposedpart is changed to be lyophilic by the effect of the oxidation anddegradation of the organic groups as parts of the components andadditives described above as a result of the activity of a photocatalystcontained in a photocatalyst-containing layer in contact, wherebyobtaining a substantial difference in the wettability from a non-exposedpart. Accordingly, the resultant increase in the ability of receiving(lyophilic) and repelling (lyophobic) a composition for the functionalpart such as an ink for coloring a pixel part enables the production ofa high quality and cost efficient functional element, such as a colorfilter.

A wettability-changeable layer employed in this embodiment may be of aself supporting or non-self supportive material provided that it is madefrom a material provided that it is made from a material whose surfacewettabilty can be changed by the effect of a photocatalyst. The selfsupporting material mentioned in this embodiment means a materialcapable of existing in a shape without a support.

In this embodiment, a non-self supporting wettability-changeable layeris preferred. A wettability-changeable layer formed from a materialundergoing a substantial change in the characteristics described aboveis poorly self-supportive in general, and becomes useful as apattern-forming body by being formed on a transparent substrate toenhance the mechanical strength.

While a wettability-changeable layer employed in this embodiment is notlimited particularly provided that its wettability is changed by theeffect of a photocatalyst described above, it is preferably a layercontaining no photocatalyst. The absence of any photocatalyst in thewettability-changeable layer enables a prolonged satisfactory use of afunctional element, which is produced subsequently, without any adversesustained effect of the photocatalyst.

(Decomposition-removable Layer)

A decomposition-removable layer is discussed below. Adecomposition-removable layer employed in this embodiment is not limitedparticularly provided that it is a layer in which adecomposition-removable layer in an exposed part is decomposed andremoved upon exposure by the effect of a photocatalyst in aphotocatalyst-containing layer.

Since in such a decomposition-removable layer an exposed part isdecomposed and removed by the effect of a photoctalyst, it is possibleto form a pattern comprising both of the parts with and without thedecomposition-removable layer, i.e., an irregular pattern, withoutconducting developing or washing process.

Also since this decomposition-removable layer is oxidized by the effectof a photocatalyst upon an exposure to be vaporized, it can be removedwithout any particular post-treatments such as developing or washingprocess, but it may be washed depending on the material for thedecomposition-removable layer.

A decomposition-removable layer employed in this embodiment ispreferably not only an irregular-forming layer but also a layer whosecontact angle with a liquid is higher when compared with a transparentsubstrate described above. By such characteristics, it is possible toobtain as a lyophilic region a region where the decomposition-removablelayer is decomposed and removed to allow the transparent substrate tocome out and as a lyophobic region a region where thedecomposition-removable layer is remaining, whereby enabling theformation of various patterns.

It is preferable here that the decomposition-removable layer of thisembodiment gives a contact angle with a liquid whose surface tension is40 mN/m of 10° or more, preferably a contact angle with a liquid whosesurface tension is 30 mN/m of 10° or more, particularly a contact anglewith a liquid whose surface tension is 20 mN/m of 10° or more.

In this embodiment, when a characteristic-changeable layer isdecomposition-removable layer, then it is preferable that a transparentsubstrate described below is lyophilic, typically giving a contact anglewith a liquid whose surface tension is 40 mN/m of 9° or less, preferablya contact angle with a liquid whose surface tension is 40 mN/m of 5° orless, particularly 1° or less.

By adjusting the wettability of a decomposition-removable layer and atransparent substrate within the ranges specified above, it is possibleto form as a lyophilic region a region where the transparent substratecomes out and as a lyophobic region a region where thedecomposition-removable layer is remaining, whereby enabling theformation of a highly minute pattern. The contact angle mentioned heremeans the value measured as described above.

The transparent substrate here may be one whose surface has been treatedto impart a lyophilicity. Examples of those whose surfaces are treatedto impart a lyophilicity are those treated lyophilically by plasmatreatment utilizing argon or water, and a lyophilic layer formed on atransparent substrate may for example be a silica film obtained bysubjecting tetraethoxysilane to a sol-gel process. In this embodiment,the part where the transparent substrate comes out serves as a lyophilicregion.

A film which can be employed as a decomposition-removable layerdescribed above may typically be a film of a fluorine-based orhydrocarbon-based resin having a lyophobic ability. Such afluorine-based or hydrocarbon-based resin is not limited particularlyprovided that it has a lyophobic ability, and such a resin is dissolvedin a solvent and formed into a film by an ordinary film-forming methodsuch as a spin coating process.

Also in this embodiment, a functional thin film, i.e., a self-assembledmonolayer, Langmuir-Blodgett film or layer-by-layer self-assembled filmcan be employed to form a film having no defects, and such afilm-forming method is employed preferably.

A self-assembled monolayer, Langmuir-Biodgett film and layer-by-layerself-assembled film employed in this embodiment are described in detailbelow.

(i) Self-assembled Monolayer

While we do not know the existence of any official definition of aself-assembled monolayer, Abraham Ulman's “Formulation and Structure ofSelf-Assembled Monolayers”, Chemical Review, 96, 1533–1554 (1996) is anexcellent textbook discussing those recognized generally asself-assembled monolayers. Based on this textbook, a self-assembledmonolayer is a monomolecular layer resulting from the absorption andbinding (self-assembling) of a suitable molecule onto the surface of asuitable substrate. A material having a self-assembled monolayer-formingability may for example be a surfactant molecule such as fatty acids, anorganic silicon molecule such as alkyltrichlorosilanes andalkylalkoxides, an organic sulfur molecule such as alkanethiols, and anorganic phosphorus molecule such as alkyl phosphates. A common aspect ofthe molecular structures is a relatively long alkyl chain and one end ofeach molecule having a functional group which interact with the surfaceof a substrate. The alkyl chain moiety is the source of theintermolecular force for a secondary packing between molecules. Thestructure exemplified here is the most simple one, and self-assembledmonolayers comprising various molecules have been reported including amolecule having a functional group such as an amino or carboxyl group onone end of the molecule and a molecule whose alkylene chain moiety is anoxyethylene chain, fluorocarbon chain, or a mixture thereof. A compositeself-assembled monolayer comprising several molecular species is alsopresent. Furthermore, a particulate polymer having several functionalgroup (sometimes single functional group) such as dendrimer or a linearpolymer (sometimes containing branches) which has been formed on thesurface of a single-layer substrate (the latter is referred to generallyas polymer brush) is regarded sometimes also as a self-assembledmonolayer. Such a film is included in self-assembled monolayers in thisembodiment.

(ii) Langmuir-Blodgett Film

A Langmuir-Blodgett film employed in this embodiment does not have anysignificant morphological difference from a self-assembled monolayerdescribed above once formed on a substrate. The Langmuir-Blodgett filmis characterized by the production method and the highly packed (highlyoriented, highly ordered) secondary molecules resulting from such aproduction method. Thus, in general, a Langmuir-Blodgett film isexpanded first on a gas-liquid interface, and the expanded film iscondensed by a trough to change into a highly packed condensed film.Actually, this condensed film is transferred onto a suitable substrateand then used. By means of a procedure outlined here, it is possibleform a monomolecular film or multilayer film having suitable number oflayers. It is also possible to use not only a low molecular weightmaterial but also a high molecular weight material or colloidal particleas a material for producing a film. Current applications of variousmaterials are discussed in N.MIYAJI, “Potential of soft-based nanodeviceproduction in nanotechnology”, KOBUNSHI, Vol.50, September issue, p644–647 (2001).

(iii) Layer-by-layer Self-assembled Film

A layer-by-layer self-assembled film is a form formed generally byallowing a material having a functional group carrying at least twopositive or negative charge to be adsorbed and deposited sequentially toform a lamination. Since a material having a large number of functionalgroups is advantageous for example due to an increased strength ordurability of the film, an ionic polymer (polymeric electrolyte) isemployed frequently as a material in these days. A particle having asurface charge such as proteins, metals, and oxides, i.e., “colloidalparticle”, is employed widely as a film-forming material. Recently, afilm utilizing an interaction which is even weaker than that of ionicbond, such as hydrogen bond, coordinate bond, hydrophobic interactionand the like was also reported. Relatively current text oflayer-by-layer self-assembled film is detailed in Paula T. Hammomd,“Recent Explorations in Electrostatic Multilayer Thin Film Assembly”,Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science, 4, 430–442 (2000)although the discussion focuses on the materials whose driving forcesare electrostatic interactions. A layer-by-layer self-assembled film forexample in the simplest process is a film formed by performing the cycleof positively (negatively) charged materialadsorption-washing-negatively (positively) charged materialadsorption-washing several times repetitively. There is no need of theprocedure of expansion-condensation-transfer as is conducted for aLangmuir-Blodgett film. As evident from the difference in the productionmethod described above, a layer-by-layer self-assembled film generallydoes not have a two-dimensional highly orienting and highly orderingproperty as is observed with a Langmuir-Blodgett film. Nevertheless, alayer-by-layer self-assembled film and a method for producing the sameare advantageous greatly when compared with conventional film-formingmethods, since they allow a minute film without defects to be formedreadily and also allow a film to be formed uniformly even on a fineirregular-carrying surface, inner wall of a tube or spherical surface.

The thickness of a decomposition-removable layer is not limitedparticularly provided that it enables the decomposition and removal bythe energy irradiated in an exposure process described below. While thetypical film thickness may vary greatly depending on the type of theenergy irradiated or the material for the decomposition-removable layer,it is usually 0.001 μm to 1 μm, preferably 0.01 μm to 0.1 μm.

(Light-shading Part)

A light-shading part is described below.

A light-shading part employed in this embodiment is formed, as shown forexample in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, as a pattern in the site corresponding tothe position where a light-shading part 5 allows a surface of acharacteristic-changeable layer 6 on a transparent substrate 4 to be anon-exposed part. In this embodiment, the position where thelight-shading part is formed can be in two configurations which areshown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4.

FIG. 3 shows a configuration of a pattern-forming body substrateemployed in FIG. 1 comprising a light-shading part 5 which is formed asa pattern on a transparent substrate 4 and covered with acharacteristic-changeable layer 6.

On the other hand, FIG. 4 shows a configuration in which acharacteristic-changeable layer 6 is formed on one side of a transparentsubstrate 4 and the light-shading part is formed as a pattern on theother side.

The configuration shown in FIG. 3 indicates that a light-shading part isformed on the surface of a characteristic-changeable layer, i.e. in theposition closest to the part of the contact with aphotocatalyst-containing layer in a method for producing apattern-forming body of the present invention. Accordingly, when theexposure is effected on the side of the transparent substrate forproducing a pattern-forming body, the irradiated energy is not scatteredand arrives at the surface of characteristic-changeable layer whilereflecting the pattern formed by the light-shading part correctly.Accordingly, this configuration is advantageous greatly for the purposeof forming the characteristic-changeable pattern at a high accuracy.

On the other hand, the configuration shown in FIG. 4 indicates that acharacteristic-changeable layer and a light-shading layer are formed onthe different sides of a transparent substrate. This configuration isemployed preferably when the light-shading part is desired to be removedafter exposure to form a pattern-forming body or when the smoothness ofthe surface of the characteristic-changeable layer is important.

Such a light-shading part can be formed also by forming a thin film of ametal such as chromium whose thickness is 1000 to 2000 angstrom by asputtering method, a vacuum vapor deposition method, and the likefollowed by patterning this thin film. Such a patterning may beaccomplished by an ordinary patterning method such as a sputtering.

The material for a light-shading part in this embodiment is not limitedparticularly provided that it can serve as an interceptor to the energycausing the excitation of a photocatalyst upon exposure, and maytypically be a layer formed by dispersing a light-shading particle suchas a carbon fine grain, metal oxide, inorganic pigment, and organicpigment in a resin binder. The resin binder employed may for example bepolyimide resins, acryl resins, epoxy resins, polyacrylamides, polyvinylalcohols, gelatins, caseins, and cellulose resins, which may be employedalone or in combination, as well as photosensitive resins, O/W emulsionresin compositions, such as emulsified reactive silicone. The thicknessof the light-shading resin part is within the range from 0.5 to 10 μm. Amethod for patterning the light-shading resin part may be an ordinarilyemployed method such as photo-lithography or printing process.

(Transparent Substrate)

A transparent substrate in this embodiment is described below. In thisembodiment, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, a light-shading part 5 and acharacteristic-changeable layer 6 are provided on a transparentsubstrate 4.

Such a transparent substrate is not limited particularly provided thatit exhibits a high transmittance to an energy employed for exposure, andtypically, one exhibiting a high transmittance to an energy activatingtitanium oxide employed preferably as a photocatalyst, such as oneexhibiting a high transmittance to a UV ray is employed preferably. Sucha transparent substrate may be flexible or non-flexible depending on theapplication of a functional element.

Preferred materials exemplified typically are non-flexible transparentrigid materials such as quartz glasses, PYREX (trade mark), syntheticquartz and the like as well as flexible transparent materials such astransparent resin films and optical resin sheets.

(2) Embodiment 2

Embodiment 2 of a pattern-forming body substrate of the presentinvention is described below. A pattern-forming body substrate in thisembodiment has a characteristic-changeable layer having a selfsupporting property on which a light-shading part is formed as apattern.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a pattern-forming body substrate employed inthis embodiment, in which a light-shading part 5 is formed on eithersurface of a characteristic-changeable layer 6 to form a pattern-formingbody substrate.

(Characteristic-changeable Layer)

First, a characteristic-changeable layer in this embodiment isdiscussed. A characteristic-changeable layer in this embodiment is notlimited particularly provided that it is a layer whose characteristicsare changed by the effect of a photocatalyst-containing layer and whichhas a self supporting property, and may be a layer whose color,polarity, or adhesiveness is changed by the effect of a photocatalystsimilarly to Embodiment 1. In this embodiment, a commercial resin filmcomprising a material capable of serving as a characteristic-changeablelayer can be employed to promote the cost efficiency.

In this embodiment, among the characteristic-changeable layers mentionedabove, a wettability-changeable layer whose wettability is changed bythe effect of a photocatalyst is preferred. Such awettability-changeable layer may typically be made from a material whichis changed in such a manner that when it is brought into contact withthe photocatalyst-containing layer upon exposure the contact angle witha liquid whose surface tension is equivalent to the surface tension of acomposition for the functional part to be applied subsequently ischanged at least by 1° or more, preferably 5° or more, especially 10° ormore.

A self supporting material serving as a wettability-changeable layer inthis embodiment may be one formed as a film from a material describedabove provided that such a film has a self supportive ability, and thosewhich may be exemplified are polyethylenes, polycarbonates,polypropylenes, polystyrenes, polyesters, polyvinyl fluorides, acetalresins, nylon, ABS, PTFE, methacrylic resins, phenol resins,polyvinylidene fluorides, polyoxymethylenes, polyvinyl alcohols,polyvinyl chlorides, polyethylene terephthalates, silicones and thelike.

While a characteristic-changeable layer in this embodiment is notlimited particularly provided that it is a layer whose characteristicsare changed by the effect of a photocatalyst as described above, it ispreferably a layer containing no photocatalyst. The absence of anyphotocatalyst in the characteristic-changeable layer eliminates asustained adverse effect on a functional element produced subsequently,enabling a prolonged satisfactory use.

(Light-shading Part)

A light-shading part employed in this embodiment is similar to thatemployed in Embodiment 1 described above, and is not discussed hereagain.

3. Arrangement of Characteristic-changeable Layer andPhotocatalyst-containing Layer

The arrangement of a characteristic-changeable layer and aphotocatalyst-containing layer is described below. In this embodiment, aphotocatalyst-containing layer should be arranged in contact with acharacteristic-changeable layer upon exposure.

The contact mentioned in this embodiment means a condition under whichthe effect of a photocatalyst can substantially be exerted on thesurface of a characteristic-changeable layer, including a condition ofan actual physical contact as well as a condition shown in FIG. 5 wherea photocatalyst-containing layer 2 is arranged at a certain distancefrom a characteristic-changeable layer 6. The distance is preferably 200μm or less.

The distance in this embodiment is within the range of 0.2 μm to 10 μm,preferably 1 μm to 5 μm, for the purpose of an extremely satisfactorypattern accuracy and a high sensitivity of a photocatalyst which gives asatisfactory denaturalizing efficiency of a characteristic-changeablelayer. The distance within the range specified above is effectiveespecially in producing a pattern-forming body having a small surfacearea whose distance can be controlled at a high accuracy.

On the other hand, an employed pattern-forming body whose size is aslarge as 300 mm×300 mm poses a difficulty in allowing a distance asshort as that described above to be provided between aphotocatalyst-containing layer-sided substrate and a pattern-formingbody with avoiding any contact. Accordingly, a pattern-forming bodyhaving a relatively large surface area employs a distance within therange from 10 to 100 μm, preferably 50 to 75 μm. The distance within therange specified above serves to prevent a problematic reduction in thepattern accuracy such as an obscure pattern, a problematic deteriorationof the photocatalyst sensitivity which leads to a reduced denaturalizingefficiency, and a problematically uneven denaturalization of thecharacteristic-changeable layer.

When exposing such a relatively large pattern-forming body, the distanceto be adjusted by an espousing device for positioning aphotocatalyst-containing layer-sided substrate and a pattern-formingbody is set to be within the range from 100 μm to 200 μm, preferably 25μm to 75 μm. The setting of the distance within this range avoids thesubstantial reduction in the pattern accuracy or the deterioration inthe photocatalyst sensitivity, and enables the arrangement of thephotocatalyst-containing layer-sided substrate and the pattern-formingbody without undergoing any contact.

By arranging a photocatalyst-containing layer and acharacteristic-changeable layer at a certain distance described above,oxygen, water, and active oxygen species generated by the photocatalysteffect can readily be desorbed. Thus, a distance between aphotocatalyst-containing layer and a characteristic-changeable layershorter than that specified above makes the desorption of the activeoxygen species difficult, resulting in a reduced denaturalizing rate. Adistance larger than that specified above poses difficulty in allowingthe generated active oxygen species to arrive at thecharacteristic-changeable layer, also resulting in a reduceddenaturalizing rate.

In this embodiment, the contact in the manner described above may bemaintained at least for the period of the exposure.

4. Exposure of Contact Part

In the present invention, the contact part is exposed while maintainingthe condition of the contact as described above. The exposure mentionedhere means a concept including any energy irradiation capable ofallowing a photocatalyst-containing layer to change the characteristicsof a surface of a characteristic-changeable layer, and is not limited tothe irradiation of a visual light.

The wavelength of a light employed usually in such an exposure is 400 nmor less, preferably 380 nm or less. Such a wavelength is preferable asenergy to activate the photocatalytic effect of titanium oxide which iscontained as a photocatalyst preferably in a photocatalyst-containinglayer.

A light source employed in the exposure may for example be a mercurylamp, metal halide lamp, xenon lamp, excimer lamp, and the like.

The energy irradiation level for the exposure should be sufficient toaccomplish the change in the characteristics of the surface of acharacteristic-changeable layer as a result of the effect of aphotocatalyst contained in a photocatalyst-containing layer.

In this process, the sensitivity can be increased by conducting theexposure with heating the photocatalyst-containing layer, allowing thechange in the characteristics to occur efficiently. Typically, theheating is accomplished at a temperature within the range from 30° C. to80° C.

The exposure in the present invention is directed from the side of thepattern-forming body substrate over the entire surface of thepattern-forming body substrate on the side where nocharacteristic-changeable layer is formed, unless any particularrequirement is specified.

5. Removal of Photocatalyst-containing Layer-sided Substrate

After completing the exposure as described above, aphotocatalyst-containing layer-sided substrate is removed from theposition where it is in contact with a characteristic-changeable layer,whereby obtaining a pattern-forming body 7′ as shown in FIG. 1D.

A pattern-forming body thus obtained has on its surface a pattern inwhich the characteristics of a characteristic-changeable layer have beenchanged, and by placing in this denaturalized region a composition forthe functional part, the functional part can be formed as a pattern,whereby enabling the production of various functional elements.

B. Pattern-forming Bodies

A pattern-forming body of the present invention is described below. Apattern-forming body of the invention is an article having a patternwhere the characteristics of a characteristic-changeable layer have beenchanged on a pattern-forming body substrate described in the sections of“2. Pattern-forming body substrate” in “A. Methods for producingpattern-forming bodies” described above.

A characteristic-changeable layer in the present invention is notlimited particularly, and may for example be a layer which is colored orwhose adhesiveness is changed by the effect of a photocatalyst, and inthe invention it is preferable that the characteristic-changeable layeris a wettability-changeable layer or a decomposition-removable layer.

When the characteristic-changeable layer is a wettability-changeablelayer, a material for a wettability-changeable layer described above inthe section of the pattern-forming body substrate can be employed, and apattern formed typically is a pattern comprising a lyophilic region anda lyophobic region having such characteristics that the contact anglewith a liquid whose surface tension is equivalent to the surface tensionof a composition for the functional part to be applied subsequently isdifferent from each other at least by 1° or more, preferably 5° or more,especially 10° or more.

A lyophobic region in a pattern-forming body in this embodiment ischaracterized by a contact angle with a liquid whose surface tension is40 mN/m of 10° or more, preferably a contact angle with a liquid whosesurface tension is 30 mN/m of 10° or more, particularly a contact anglewith a liquid whose surface tension is 20 mN/m of 10° or more.

A lyophilic region in a pattern-forming body in this embodiment ischaracterized by a contact angle with a liquid whose surface tension is40 mN/m of 9° or less, preferably a contact angle with a liquid whosesurface tension is 50 mN/m of 10° or less, particularly a contact anglewith a liquid whose surface tension is 60 mN/m of 10° or less.

When the characteristic-changeable layer is a decomposition-removablelayer, a material for a decomposition-removable layer described above inthe section of the pattern-forming body substrate can be employed, and apattern formed in the pattern-forming body typically comprising theregion of the decomposition-removable layer and the region where thedecomposition-removable layer has been removed to allow a transparentsubstrate to come out. In the pattern-forming body whosedecomposition-removable layer has been decomposed and removed, it ispreferable that the region comprising the decomposition-removable layerand the region comprising the transparent substrate layer are differentfrom each other in the wettability, and more preferable that the regioncomprising the decomposition-removable layer is a lyophobic region andthe region comprising the transparent substrate layer is the lyophilicregion.

A lyophobic region comprising a decomposition-removable layer in thisembodiment is characterized preferably by a contact angle with a liquidwhose surface tension is 40 mN/m of 10° or more, preferably a contactangle with a liquid whose surface tension is 30 mN/m of 10° or more,particularly a contact angle with a liquid whose surface tension is 20mN/m of 10° or more.

A lyophilic region comprising a transparent substrate in this embodimentis characterized preferably by a contact angle with a contact angle witha liquid whose surface tension is 40 mN/m of 9° or less, preferably acontact angle with a liquid whose surface tension is 40 mN/m of 5° orless, particularly 1° or less.

A pattern-forming body of the present invention enables the productionof various functional elements by depositing a composition for thefunctional part along the pattern formed as a result of the change inthe characteristics of its characteristic-changeable layer. Apattern-forming body in the present invention may itself be a functionalelement having a function.

A pattern-forming body of the present invention is formed preferablyfrom a material having no photocatalyst. When a pattern-forming body isformed from a material containing a photocatalyst, it is subjected to anunwanted sustained effect depending on the condition of the use.

Other aspects of a pattern-forming body of the present invention aresimilar to those described above in the section of “2. Pattern-formingbody substrate” and are not discussed here again.

C. Functional Elements

A functional element of the present invention is characterized by afunctional part formed as a pattern where the characteristics of apattern-forming body described above have been changed.

The term “functional” mentioned here means various functions such asoptical functions (selective light absorption, reflection, polarization,selective light transmission, non-linear optical property, luminescencesuch as fluorescence and phosphorescence, photochromic property and thelike), magnetic functions (ferromagnetic property, electrochemicalproperty, soft magnetic property, non-magnetic property,magnetism-transmitting property), electric and electronic functions(conductivity, insulating property, piezoelectric property, pyroelectricproperty, dielectric property), chemical functions (adsorption,desorption, catalytic property, hygroscopicity, ion transmittingproperty, redox property, electrochromic property and the like),mechanical functions (wearing resistance and the like), thermalfunctions (thermal transmission, thermal insulation, infraredirradiation and the like), biological functions (biocompatibility,thrombolytic property and the like).

The placement of such a functional part to the position corresponding tothe pattern on a pattern-forming body is conducted on the basis of thedifference in the wettability between a lyophilic region and a lyophobicregion, or on the basis of the difference in the adhesiveness.

For example when utilizing the difference in the adhesiveness of thecharacterized pattern on a characteristic-changeable layer, a metal as acomposition for the functional part is vapor-deposited all over thecharacteristic-changeable layer and subsequently peeled off using anadhesive tape and the like, whereby forming a metal pattern as afunctional part exclusively in the region where the adhesiveness issatisfactory. This enables an easy formation of a print circuit boardand the like.

For example when utilizing the difference in the wettability of thecharacterized pattern on a characteristic-changeable layer, acomposition for the functional part is applied onto the pattern-formingbody to allow it to deposit exclusively onto the satisfactorily wettablelyophilic region, whereby allowing the functional part to be placedreadily and exclusively on the pattern in the lyophilic region of thepattern-forming body.

A composition for the functional part employed in the present inventionmay vary greatly depending on the functions of the functional elementand the method for producing the functional element as described above,and for example when forming a metal pattern on the basis of thedifference in the adhesiveness as described above then this compositionfor the functional part is present as a metal, and when forming a metalpattern on the basis of the difference in the wettability then acomposition which has not been diluted with a solvent such as a UVsetting monomer or a composition in the form of a liquid which has beendiluted with a solvent can be employed.

When using a liquid composition which has been diluted with a solvent,the solvent is preferably one exhibiting a high surface tension such aswater and ethylene glycol. As a composition for the functional part, onehaving a lower viscosity is more preferred since a pattern can be formedwithin a shorter period. Nevertheless, when using a liquid compositionwhich has been diluted with a solvent, the solvent is preferably lessvolatile since the volatilization of the solvent upon forming a patternresults in an increase in the viscosity and the change in the surfacetension.

A composition for the functional part employed in the present inventionmay be one becoming a functional part by being placed on apattern-forming body for example by means of adhesion, or one becoming afunctional part by being placed on a pattern-forming body and thentreated for example with a reagent, UV ray, or heat. In such a case, acomponent which is hardened by a UV ray, heat, or electron beam iscontained preferably as a binder for the composition for the functionalpart since it allows the functional part to be formed rapidly by ahardening process.

Typically, such a functional element can be formed by applying acomposition for the functional part by means of a coating process suchas dip coating, roll coating, blade coating, and spin coating, or bymeans of a nozzle injection such as an ink jet process, whereby forminga functional part on the lyophilic pattern on the surface of apattern-forming body.

Also by applying a pattern-forming body of the present invention to ametal film-forming method by an electroless plating, a functionalelement having a pattern of a metal film as a functional part can beobtained. Typically, by utilizing the difference in the wettability,only the lyophilic region on the surface of a characteristic-changeablelayer of a pattern-forming body is treated with a pretreatment solutionof the chemical plating and then the treated pattern-forming body isimmersed in the chemical plating regent, whereby obtaining a functionalelement having a desired metal pattern on the characteristic-changeablelayer. Since a metal pattern can be formed without forming a resistpattern in this method, a print board and electronic circuit element canbe produced as a functional element.

It is also possible that after overlaying the composition for thefunctional part entirely as described above an unwanted region isremoved utilizing the difference in the wettability between thelyophobic region and the lyophilic region to form a functional partalong the pattern. Thus, by utilizing the difference in the adhesivenessbetween the lyophobic region and the lyophilic region, an unwantedregion is removed in a post-treatment process for example by sticking anadhesive tape followed by peeling off, by air-blowing, or by treatingwith a solvent, whereby yielding a pattern of the functional part.

In this case, it is required to place the composition for the functionalpart all over the surface of the characteristic-changeable layer of thepattern-forming body of the present invention, for example by a vacuumfilm-forming device such as PVD and CVD.

An example of the method for producing such a functional element isdescribed with referring to the figures. In the following example, awettability-changeable layer is employed as a characteristic-changeablelayer. First, by employing a vacuum film-forming device 21 utilizing thevacuum such as CVD as shown in FIG. 6A, a composition for the functionalpart 22 is formed all over a pattern-forming body 7′ in which awettability-changeable layer 8 having a pattern of a lyophilic region 10and a lyophobic region 11 is provided on a transparent substrate 4. Onthe transparent substrate 4, a light-shading part 5 is formed as apattern.

A method for removing an unwanted part of the composition for thefunctional part 22 thus formed entirely may be a method in which theadhesive side of an adhesive tape 23 is applied and then peeled off toremove the composition for the functional part 22 on the lyophobicregion 11 to form a functional part 24 as shown in FIG. 6B or a methodin which air is blown from a air blowing nozzle 25 to remove theunwanted part of the composition for the functional part 22 to form afunctional part 24 as shown in FIG. 6C.

In a still another example, as shown in FIG. 7A, a heat transfer article28 formed by laminating a heat-fusable composition layer 27 on one sideof a sheet 26 is brought into close contact with the surface of awettability-changeable layer 8 formed on a pattern-forming body 7′,i.e., on a transparent substrate 4 with bringing the heat-fusablecomposition layer 27 in contact with the wettability-changeable layer 8.Also in this case, a light-shading part 5 is formed as a pattern on thetransparent substrate 4.

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 7(B), a heating plate 29 is pressed onthe side of a sheet 26 of the heat transfer article 28. Then as shown inFIG. 7(C), after cooling the heat transfer article 28 is pulled off toobtain a functional element in which a functional part 24 is formedalong the pattern in a lyophilic region 10 formed on thewettability-changeable layer 8 (FIG. 7(D)).

A functional element thus obtained may typically be a color filter,microlens, print board, electric circuit element and the like.

A pattern-forming body employed in the description of a functionalelement described above is similar to that described above, and notdiscussed here again.

D. Color Filters

A color filter mentioned above is employed for example in a liquidcrystal display, in which a plural of pixel parts such as red, green,and blue are formed as a highly minute pattern for example of a glasssubstrate. By applying a pattern-forming body of the present inventionto the production of this color filter, a highly minute color filter canbe obtained at a low cost.

Thus, an ink (composition for the functional part) is deposited forexample by an ink jet device onto a lyophilic region of apattern-forming body and then hardened to form a pixel part (functionalpart) easily, whereby allowing a highly minute color filter to beobtained by a smaller number of process.

Also in the present invention, a light-shading part of a pattern-formingbody described above can itself be used as a black matrix in a colorfilter. Accordingly, by forming a pixel part (colored layer) as afunctional part on a pattern-forming body of the invention describedabove, a color filter can be obtained without forming a black matrixseparately.

E. Microlenses

When a functional element is a microlens, a pattern-forming body havinga round pattern whose wettability has been changed may for example beformed on a wettability-changeable layer. Subsequently, a lens-formingcomposition (composition for the functional part) is added dropwise ontothe site where the wettability has been changed to allow the compositionto spread exclusively on the lyophilic region where the wettability hasbeen changed, and a further dropwise addition enables the change in thecontact angle of the liquid drop. By hardening this lens-formingcomposition, a lens having varying shape and focal distance can beobtained, whereby yielding a highly minute microlens.

In a method for producing such a microlens when described with referringto FIG. 8, a pattern-forming body 7′ having a round pattern of alyophilic region 10 formed on a wettability-changeable layer 8 isprepared, and then toward the pattern of this round lyophilic region 10a UV setting resin composition as a composition for the functional partis ejected via an ejecting device 30 (FIG. 8A). This composition for thefunctional part (UV setting resin composition) 22 is swollen as a resultof the difference in the wettability between the lyophilic region 10 andthe lyophobic region 11 (FIG. 8B). This is then hardened by a resinsetting UV ray 31 to form a microlens 32 (FIG. 8C).

The present invention is not restricted to the embodiments describedabove. The embodiments described above are only illustrative, and thosehaving the aspects substantially similar to the technical spiritsdescribed in the aspects and exhibiting similar effects are encompassedin the present invention.

For example, while a light-shading part in the pattern-forming bodysubstrate is discussed in a method for producing a pattern-forming bodydescribed above only as being formed on a transparent substrate, it canbe formed also on a characteristic-changeable layer. In such a case, thelight-shading part serves as a spacer when the exposure is performedwith bringing the characteristic-changeable layer into contact with aphotocatalyst-containing layer.

Also while in the above description a functional element is discussedall as being formed on a pattern-forming body, the present invention isnot limited to such an aspect. Thus, for example as shown in FIG. 9, awettability-changeable layer 8 is formed first on a transparentsubstrate 4 by a method similar to that described above and then afunctional part 24 is formed along the pattern of the hydrophilic regionof this wettability-changeable layer 8 (FIG. 9A). Then anelement-forming substrate 33 is brought into close contact with thisfunctional part 24 (FIG. 9B). Then the functional part 24 is transferredonto the element-forming substrate 33, whereby obtaining a functionalelement. Thus, the functional element is not limited to be formed on apattern-forming body.

EXAMPLES

The present invention is further described in the following examples.

Example 1

A fluorine-based silicone was formed as a film whose thickness is 0.1 μmon a quartz glass substrate having a pattern of a 0.2 μm-thick and 20μm-wide chromium line formed an interval of 100 μm to form awettability-changeable layer to provide a pattern-forming bodysubstrate.

The fluorine-based silicone employed here was prepared by admixing 5 gof a fluoroalkylsilane (GE Toshiba Silicones, TSL8233) with 3 g of 1Nhydrochloric acid, stirring for 24 hours, subjected to 10-fold dilutionwith isopropyl alcohol to obtain a coating solution, which was thenapplied by a spin coating method and dried to form a film.

On a soda lime glass substrate, ST-K01 (Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha, Ltd.)was applied to provide a photocatalyst-containing layer-sided substratehaving a photocatalyst-containing layer whose thickness was 0.2 μm. Thesubstrate was arranged in such a manner that the wettabilty change layerwas facing the photocatalyst-containing layer at the distance of 5 μm,and irradiated from the side of the pattern-forming body substrate witha mercury lamp (254 nm, 40 mW/cm²) for 120 seconds. The wettability ofthe surface of the wettability-changeable layer in the exposed part was20° as a contact angle with water, while that of a non-exposed part was110°.

Then the paints for a color filter (red, blue, green) were ejectedsequentially by an ink jet method onto the part where the wettabilityhad been changed on the pattern-forming body to obtain a color filter.

Example 2

1. Formation of Photocatalyst-containing Layer-sided Substrate

5 g of trimethoxymethylsilane (GE Toshiba Silicones, TSL8113) was mixedwith 2.5 g of 0.5 N hydrochloric acid, and stirred for 8 hours. Themixture was subjected to 10-fold dilution with isopropyl alcohol toobtain a primer layer-forming composition.

The primer layer-forming composition thus obtained was applied onto aquartz glass substrate using a spin coater and dried at 150° C. for 10minutes to form a transparent primer layer (thickness: 0.2 μm).

30 g of isopropyl alcohol, 3 g of trimethoxymethylsilane (GE ToshibaSilicones, TSL8113), and 20 g of inorganic coating for photocatalystST-K03 (Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha, Ltd.) were mixed, and stirred at 100° C.for 20 minutes. The mixture was subjected to 3-fold dilution withisopropyl alcohol to obtain a photocatalyst-containing layer-formingcomposition.

The photocatalyst-containing layer-forming composition thus obtained wasapplied using a spin coater onto a quartz glass substrate on which aprimer layer had been formed, and dried at 150° C. for 10 minutes toobtain a transparent photocatalyst-containing layer (thickness: 0.15 μm)

2. Patterning of Self Supporting Characteristic-changeable Layer byExposure

The photocatalyst-containing layer-sided substrate and a polycarbonatesubstrate on the surface of which a light-shading layer had been formedwere aligned to face each other at a distance of 100 μm, and exposedfrom the side of the polycarbonate substrate with a very high pressuremercury lamp (wavelength: 365 nm) at 40 mW/cm² for 1200 seconds to forma pattern whose characteristics had been changed.

In this procedure, the contact angles of the non-exposed part and theexposed part with the wettability index standard solution whose surfacetension was 40 mN/m (JUNSEI CHEMICAL CO., LTD.) were measured using acontact angle meter (Kyowa Interface Science Co., LTD., Model CA-Z) (30seconds after dropwise addition from a microsyringe), and the resultsindicated that the contact angles were 49° and 20°, respectively.

Example 3

1. Formation of Photocatalyst-containing Layer-sided Substrate

5 g of trimethoxymethylsilane (GE Toshiba Silicones, TSL8113) was mixedwith 2.5 g of 0.5 N hydrochloric acid, and stirred for 8 hours. Themixture was subjected to 10-fold dilution with isopropyl alcohol toobtain a primer layer-forming composition.

The primer layer-forming composition thus obtained was applied onto aquartz glass substrate using a spin coater and dried at 150° C. for 10minutes to form a transparent primer layer (thickness: 0.2 μm).

30 g of isopropyl alcohol, 3 g of trimethoxymethylsilane (GE ToshibaSilicones, TSL8113), and 20 g of inorganic coating for photocatalystST-K03 (Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha, Ltd.) were mixed, and stirred at 100° C.for 20 minutes. The mixture was subjected to 3-fold dilution withisopropyl alcohol to obtain a photocatalyst-containing layer-formingcomposition.

The photocatalyst-containing layer-forming composition thus obtained wasapplied using a spin coater onto a quartz glass substrate on which aprimer layer had been formed, and dried at 150° C. for 10 minutes toobtain a transparent photocatalyst-containing layer (thickness: 0.15μm).

2. Formation of Decomposition-removable Layer

A cationic polymer polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride (PDDA, meanmolecular weight: 100,000 to 200,000, Aldrich) and an anionic polymerpolystyrene sodium sulfonate salt (PSS, mean molecular weight: 70,000,Aldrich) were subjected to a layer-by-layer self-assembling on a glasssubstrate on which a light-shading layer had been formed to obtain athickness of about 2 nm.

3. Decomposition and Removal by Exposure

The photocatalyst-containing layer-sided substrate and adecomposition-removable layer were aligned to face each other at adistance of 50 μm, and exposed from the side of thedecomposition-removable layer with a very high pressure mercury lamp(wavelength: 365 nm) at 40 mW/cm² for 130 seconds to decompose andremove the decomposition-removable layer whereby forming a pixel-formingpart comprising the glass substrate which had come out.

In this procedure, the contact angles of the non-exposed part and thepixel-forming part with the wettability index standard solution whosesurface tension was 40 mN/m (JUNSEI CHEMICAL CO., LTD.) were measuredusing a contact angle meter (Kyowa Interface Science Co., LTD., ModelCA-Z) (30 seconds after dropwise addition from a microsyringe), and theresults indicated that the contact angles were 30° and 6°, respectively.

1. A method for producing a pattern-forming body comprising: using aphotocatalyst-containing layer-sided substrate having a substrate and aphotocatalyst-containing layer containing a photocatalyst and apattern-forming body substrate having a characteristic-changeable layer,whose characteristics are changed by the effect of the photocatalyst inthe photocatalyst-containing layer and a light-shading part formed as apattern; placing the photocatalyst-containing layer-sided substrate andthe pattern-forming body substrate in such a manner that thephotocatalyst-containing layer and the characteristic-changeable layerare brought into contact with each other; changing the characteristicsof the characteristic-changeable layer of the exposed part by exposingfrom the side of the pattern-forming body substrate; and removing thephotocatalyst-containing layer-sided substrate whereby obtaining apattern-forming body having a pattern whose characteristics have beenchanged on the characteristic-changeable layer.
 2. A method forproducing a pattern-forming body comprising: using aphotocatalyst-containing layer-sided substrate having a substrate and aphotocatalyst-containing layer containing a photocatalyst and apattern-forming body substrate having a characteristic-changeable layer,whose characteristics are changed by the effect of the photocatalyst inthe photocatalyst-containing layer, and a light-shading part formed as apattern; placing the photocatalyst-containing layer-sided substrate andthe pattern-forming body substrate in such a manner that the distancebetween the photocatalyst-containing layer and thecharacteristic-changeable layer is 200 μm or less; changing thecharacteristics of the characteristic-changeable layer of the exposedpart by exposing from the side of the pattern-forming body substrate;and removing the photocatalyst-containing layer-sided substrate wherebyobtaining a pattern-forming body having a pattern whose characteristicshave been changed on the characteristic-changeable layer.
 3. A methodfor producing a pattern-forming body according to claim 2, wherein thepattern-forming body substrate comprises a transparent substrate, acharacteristic-changeable layer formed on the transparent substrate anda light-shading part formed as a pattern.
 4. A method for producing apattern-forming body according to claim 3, wherein the light-shadingpart has been formed as a pattern on the transparent substrate, and iscovered with the characteristic-changeable layer formed thereon.
 5. Amethod for producing a pattern-forming body according to claim 2,wherein the photocatalyst-containing layer is a layer consisting of aphotocatalyst.
 6. A method for producing a pattern-forming bodyaccording to claim 5, wherein the photocatalyst-containing layer is alayer obtained by forming a film of a photocatelyst on a substrate bymeans of a vacuum film-forming method.
 7. A method for producing apattern-forming body according to claim 2, wherein, thephotocatalyst-containing layer is a layer having a photocatalyst and abinder.
 8. A method for producing a pattern-forming body according toclaim 2, wherein, the photocatalyst is one or more substances selectedfrom the group comprising titanium oxide (TiO₂), zincoxide (ZnO),tinoxide (SnO₂), strontium titanate (SrTiO₃), tungsten oxide (WO₃),bismuth oxide (Bl₂O₃), and iron oxide (Fe₂O₃).
 9. A method for producinga pattern-forming body according to claim 8, where in the photocatalystis titanium oxide (TiO₂).
 10. A method for producing a pattern-formingbody according to claim 2, wherein the exposure is effected with heatingthe photocatalyst-containing layer.
 11. A method for producing apattern-forming body according to claim 2., wherein the distance betweenthe photocatalyst-containing layer and the characteristic-changeablelayer is within the range from 0.2 μm to 10 μm when the surface of thecharacteristic-changeable layer is faced to the photocatalyst-containinglayer to effect the exposure.
 12. A method for producing apattern-forming body according to claim 2, wherein thecharacteristic-changeable layer is a layer containing no photocatalyst.13. A method for producing a pattern-forming body according to claim 2,wherein the characteristic-changeable layer is a wettability-changeablelayer whose wettability is changed in such a manner that the contactangle with a liquid upon exposure is reduced by the effect of thephotocatalyst contained in the photocatalyst- containing layer.
 14. Amethod for producing a pattern-forming body according to claim 13,wherein the contact angle with a liquid whose surface tension is 40 mN/mon the wettability-changeable layer is 10° or more in a non-exposed partand 9° or less in an exposed part.
 15. A method for producing apattern-forming body according to claim 13, wherein thewettability-changeable layer is a layer containing anorganopolysiloxane.
 16. A method for producing a pattern-forming bodyaccording to claim 15, Wherein the organopolysiloxane is a polysiloxanecontaining a fluoroalkyl group.
 17. A method for producing apattern-forming body according to claim 15, wherein theorganopolysiloxane is an organopolysiloxane which is a hydrolyticcondensate or a hydrolytic co-condensate of one or more siliconcompounds represented by Formula: Y_(n)SiZ_((4−n)), wherein Y denotes analkyl group fluoroalkyl group, vinyl group, amino group, phenyl group,or epoxy group, X denotes an alkoxyl group or halogen, and n denotes aninteger of 0 to
 3. 18. A method for producing a pattern-forming bodyaccording to claim 13, wherein the pattern-forming body substrate has aself supporting wettability-changeable layer on whose surface alight-shading part formed as a pattern is provided.
 19. A method forproducing a pattern-forming body according to claim 2, wherein thecharacteristic-changeable layer is a decomposition-removable layer whichis decomposed and removed upon exposure by the effect of thephotocatalyst in the photocatalyst-containing layer.
 20. A method forproducing a pattern-forming body according to claim 19, wherein thecontact angle of a liquid with the decomposition-removable layer isdifferent from the contact angle of a liquid with the transparentsubstrate which comes out when the decomposition-removable layer isdecomposed and removed.
 21. A method for producing a pattern-formingbody according to claim 19, wherein the decomposition-removable layer iseither one of a self-assembled monolayer, Langmuir-Blodgett film orlayer-by-layer self-assembled film.
 22. A method for producing apattern-forming body according to claim 19, wherein the wettability onthe transparent substrate is 9° or less as a contact angle with a liquidwhose surface tension being 40 mN/m and that on thedecomposition-removable layer being 10° or more.
 23. A pattern-formingbody comprising: a transparent substrate; a characteristic-changeablelayer formed on the transparent substrate, whose characteristics arechanged by the effect of a photocatalyst, and the characteristicsthereof have been changed as a pattern; and a light-shading part formedas a pattern on the transparent substrate, wherein the light-shadingpart is covered with the characteristic-changeable layer formed thereon.24. A pattern-forming body according to claim 23, wherein thecharacteristic-changeable layer is a wettability-changeable layer whosewettability is changed by the effect of the photocatalyst.
 25. Apattern-forming body according to claim 24, wherein the contact anglewith a liquid whose surface tension is 40 mN/m on thewettability-changeable layer is 10° or more in a non-exposed part and 9°or less in an exposed part.
 26. A pattern-forming body according toclaim 24, wherein the wettability-changeable layer is a layer containingan organopolysiloxane.
 27. A pattern-forming body according to claim 26,wherein the organopolysiloxane is a polysiloxane containing afluoroalkyl group.
 28. A pattern-forming body according to claim 26,wherein the organopolysiloxane is an organopolysiloxane which is ahydrolytic condensate or a hydrolytic co-condensate of one or moresilicon compounds represented by Formula: Y_(n)SiZ_((4−n)), wherein Ydenotes an alkyl group, fluoroalkyl group, vinyl group, amino group,phenyl group, or epoxy group, X denotes an alkoxyl group or halogen, andn denotes an integer of 0 to
 3. 29. A pattern-forming body according toclaim 24, wherein the wettability-changeable layer is a layer containingno photocatalyst.
 30. A pattern-forming body according to claim 23,wherein the characteristic-changeable layer is a decomposition-removablelayer which is decomposed and removed by the effect of thephotocatalyst.
 31. A pattern-forming body according to claim 30, whereinthe light-shading part has been formed as a pattern on the transparentsubstrate, and is covered with the decomposition-removable layer.
 32. Apattern-forming body according to claim 30, wherein the contact angle ofa liquid with the decomposition-removable layer is different from thecontact angle of a liquid with the transparent substrate which comes outwhen the decomposition-removable layer is decomposed and removed.
 33. Apattern-forming body according to claim 30, wherein thedecomposition-removable layer is either one of a self-assembledmonolayer, Langmuir-Blodgett film, or layer-by-layer self-assembledfilm.
 34. A pattern-forming body according to claim 30, wherein thewettability on the transparent substrate is 9° or less as a contactangle with a liquid whose surface tension is 40 mN/m and the wettabilityon the decomposition-removable layer is 10° or more.
 35. A functionalelement comprising, a functional part positioned along the patternformed by the change in the characteristics in acharacteristic-changeable layer on a transparent substrate according toclaim
 23. 36. A functional element according to claim 35, wherein thefunctional part is a metal.
 37. A color filter comprising, a pixel partas a functional part of a functional element according to claim
 35. 38.A microlens comprising, a lens part as a functional part of a functionalelement according to claim
 35. 39. A pattern-forming body comprising, aself supporting wettability-changeable layer and a light-shading partformed as a pattern on one side of the wettability-changeable layer andalso comprising, a pattern comprising a lyophilic region and a lyophobicregion on the other side of the wettability-changeable layer.